Brian,

There are many good ideas expressed here.

Please sit your team down and tell them to develop the attitude of figuring out ways to actually give customers what they're asking for, thinking outside of the old engineering and regulatory boxes, pushing aside the old "cant-do-it-that-way-because..." message and replacing it with a "Hmmm-let's-figure-out-a-way-to-make-that-happen" mindset.

There are thousands of Beechcraft fans here who REALLY want to see you build a product that can sell more than 15 planes per year, one that can actually compete seriously in the 21st Century airplane marketplace. Listen closely to what is being said here, and find ways to move forward, not sideways.

Thanks for being here, and for listening.

Brian,
Welcome to BeechTalk. It is great to have you participate on this forum.
You spoke about 3rd party STC issues earlier. I do have one suggestion/idea: It seems to me that Beechcraft could actually develop STC's for their products. As others have said already, why start with an new airframe. Why not develop STC's for current (very large) fleet of piston planes. At the top of the list for me would be to develop STC for Rolls Royce RR500 for Bonanza's and Barons. This engine was developed with GA as the target audience. I would love to know the cost of one of these engines. I might change my mind if I knew the price.

I will attempt to respond to your specific questions.



I think statistics bear this out. I would love to have a TP version of my plane (B36TC). The failure rate for a TP is much lower compared to piston engines.

I have not flown twins very much but I am perfectly happy with single engine Beechcraft. I would be happier if the engine had lower failure rate compared to the current piston engines.

No, especially if the one engine I do have is a TP with proven record of reliability.

Range was a factor in my current airplane selection. I would be unwilling to trade range for a second engine.

Maintenance costs are very important to me or anyone who has owned a plane for a period of time. It is an ongoing, sometimes unpredictable factor.

I love the idea of a diesel engine. Diesel addresses many of our questions. Diesel seems to be more efficient. A diesel engine has about 70% fewer parts compared to LL engine, thus fewer points of failure. I must note that I would favor an economic Turboprop over a piston diesel. It may burn more fuel per hour but you do cover more distance per hour.

I would have to know the trade off before I would agree to it. From all the reading I have done, there are no major negative aspects of diesel that come to mind.

I addressed this earlier. TP engines, as designed today, have a higher fuel burn per hour. Keep in mind that in 1980, engineers could not imagine the efficiency of current TP engines. I hope history continues to repeat itself and the TP efficiency of the future is not what we accept as de facto standard today. However, a higher burn rate does not mean less efficient. If I can use an RR500 bolted to my B36 and burn 22-24 GPH while moving along at 230-250 knots (~10 miles/g) , I am actually spending less on fuel than my current engine that burns on the average 16 GPH at 170 knots (~10.6 miles/g).

Brian,

Welcome to BT, you are indeed a brave man.

I applaud your inquiries as to what we want in a new or improved Beechcraft. You have a lot of interesting responses, more useful load, more range, more speed, slicker looking
body work, diesel engines, etc.

Here is my observation;

I am happy with my 1096lb useful load, I have never had the need to haul more than four people in my G36.

Yes, I would like another 10-20 kts of cruise speed but that's like saying who doesn't Motherhood or Apple Pie.

On the issue of range it would have been nice to have an option of extended range fuel cells, say 102 gal verses 80 for those times when it's just me and a fishing buddy going into a strong headwind or flying an extended leg. The current range is acceptable, I have flown from Texas to New York, Florida,California and Oregon and its only on a few
occasions that I wished for more range. After 4 hours I am looking for a restroom.

The look of the riveted aluminum wing is beautiful to me, as are the overall lines of the aircraft.

I have no interest in a diesel power plant, nor a TAT add on, but a turbine is a
different option all together. I would love to have one.

There are many varied and worthy suggestions already posted, who's right ? I don't know who's ideas will win the day, but I would hope that your talking to the guys that will actually buy a new aircraft and see what motivates them to buy a new Beech, Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, etc.

Best wishes,

Chris

Here's something maybe off topic, but since others are addressing the aircraft itself, I'd offer the following:

We need more pilots! More Beechcraft Pilots! We need folks to buy and train in their new Beech aircraft!

I'm sure there is a reason but: why not "give away" free pilot training with the purchase of a new Beech? Even in the high-cost Northeast, where I live, I expect that the cost to Beech would be much less than the $10,000 I paid for my SEL certificate AND "wet" rental of an ancient C172. Carefully "bundled" pricing might work. Draw on the BPPP pool for the required CFIs--they already know and love Beech.

Many would say it's too much airplane to train in. Maybe. But if you trained in it from the very first, I don't think it would be too much to handle--doesn't the military train from day 1 in a similar aircraft?

Likely there are also legal and liability issues. . .but without a growing GA population, it's much harder for New Beech or any of the OEMs to get solid growth.

Here endeth the (questionble) suggestion. . .

Oh, and welcome to the Thunderdome (aka BeechTalk).

--Gordon

Gordon,

Good idea, I'm not sure if you mean some kind of extended training or Ab Initio traning.

Beechcraft does include initial pilot training at Flight Safety with the purchase of a new aircraft, and maintenance training with the King Air line.

Best

Chris, I was going for Ab Initio: get 'em right from the first. Get the folks that can afford to buy new but need to learn. Help make sure they are not in the 80% who start flight training and quit. Need to stoke demand in this market. Sure buying a 68 foot Hatteras class motor yacht is cool; but being able to fly yourself in your own Beech: much cooler!

--Gordon

Hi Beechcraft. Welcome to BeechTalk, the Quintessential Beechcraft Owners and Pilots Group Forum! (what the heck took ya so long!?!?)

Brian, although I say that a little tongue in cheek, I am (we are) serious about our planes, our passion for flying and our loyalty to our fellow feathered brethren. Especially our Bo Bro's!

I'm glad to see someone from Beechcraft here and I truly hope yours and your companies reason for you coming here and posting is to learn from your constituency and to pull, what was inarguably once the greatest aircraft manufacturer in the world, out of the ashes.

If you haven't done so already, I would strongly encourage you to take the sage advice offered to you here, and contact the Jeff's. (being as you're relatively new, that would Jeff Carneal & Jeff Snyder, the founders of BeechTalk). Ask them what they think would be the best way for them and us here in the land of Beech, to help you and your company. I would also encourage your to spend some time searching the tens of thousands of threads and posts here that amply answer the questions you posted above.

Also, if you didn't catch it all the first time. Go back and re-read Tom Gresham's post. Probably one of the most salient and prescient responses to your initial and subsequent posts.

I would also ask you guys to put aside any scotomas or preconceived notions you as a company may have and listen to the contributors here. Your life blood. The very reason that you and your co-workers have to get up in the morning and go to work. In other words Brian....... YOUR CUSTOMERS!

If it seems that I, or others here, might becoming across a bit stern or heavy handed.... Well, sir, that's because we are. This is a serious matter to us and the last thing want or need, with all due respect, is lip service from you or your company.

What we do want is for you and Beechcraft to ask questions that you really and truly want to hear the answer to. We want you to listen with the intent to understand. Not for you to quickly and dismissively respond to such things as if there were absolutely no thought or consideration given, let alone sincere efforts at comprehending our reply.


I'll end with this, knowing full well that there will be those here that think I've come down on you too hard (to which I honestly to give a rip what some p.c. doublespeaker thinks) but that was not the intent at all bud.

We (I) welcome and want you and your company here on BT, a site that has grown from zero to 20,000 strong, in the blink of an eye, is for you guys to not let us down. Save our airplanes. Save Beechcraft. Make us proud.




Take care
&
God Bless

Thank You Dino, You nailed it. We love Beechcraft, and want them to grow and prosper, but we want to feel the love also.

Rick

nm

nm

Brian,

Horses for courses, but for me it would be 600nm., minimum

800 miles with bags and reserves

Brian,

I have owned 3 planes and each has had longer legs than the preceding one. My latest plane can go over 1000 miles but I am not sure I will ever test the limit.

I think 600-700 nautical miles seems like a good middle ground for acceptable range.

Brian,

First off I would like to welcome you to BeechTalk! It is wonderful that you are here and interacting with your company's customers.

You asked what we would like to see from the New Beechcraft company? Well from my perspective, as a person who will never be able to have the wonderful experience of an new aircraft delivery from Beechcraft, which has been described here and is the best in the industry! Would be for Beechcraft to continue to support the legacy models like my V35A and to work on making parts affordable and easily obtainable.

Please keep up the good work and keep the best brand in aviation going for another 75 years...

Jay

Tbone with big diesels!!!!



Sorry cant help it. Welcome Brian.



I may be in the minority but 42 inches wide? Really? 21 inches per person? Thats called economy class in the airline world.