I remember reading somewhere that all Starships were being scrapped due to some problems... seems like someone said Raytheon was buying them back from customers so they could scrap them. Does anyone know why?
Ironically, I was in BHM last weekend, and saw a Starship parked on the FAA ramp. Appearantly some are still flying!
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 4, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 1679 times:
And somewhere, Bill Lear and his fans (pun intended) are smiling.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
CcrlR From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 2204 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 hours ago) and read 1617 times:
They should have saved and sent them to maintenance schools and Museums like the Udvar-Hazy Center. Bill lear must be turning over in his grave now. Thank god his Learjet is in the center.
"He was right, it is a screaming metal deathtrap!"-Cosmo (from the Fairly Oddparents)
IslandHopperCO From Micronesia, joined Dec 2003, 224 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (9 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 1434 times:
What a crying shame! My userid here used to be BeechStarship...they are the most wicked sweet business props ever made! Look at a pic of one in flight and you'll see what I mean. Not to mention revolutionary high-tech features for it's time. Raytheon/Beech must have lost an absolute fortune on this project.
Wonder how much they offered the owners to get them back? If I owned one, they'd have to pry it from my cold dead hands!
Miles_mechanic From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 132 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 1252 times:
Hey everyone, it is too bad about the Starship being scrapped instead of being placed in a museum, as others have mentioned it was a awesome looking airplane.
The one question that I have, is because of its awesome looks and use of canards, has anyone tried to build this same looking aircraft but with jet engines to compete with the rest of the business jets? I think it would be a awesome looking aircraft with jet engines.
ZASpringboks From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1207 times:
Starships are junk. A lemon in the auto world. That's what people say, at least! I heard the wings contain a foamy material to keep the wings light. That's all great, but the foam rots inside of the wing making the wing useless. I heard this was a major problem for Raytheon. That is what some guy at Raytheon told me. Who knows? All I know is that there is a flight line of useless Starships sitting at ICT.
TWAMD-80 From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 1006 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1173 times:
Hey if they're givin those Starships away I'd be thrilled to take one!!
TW
Two A-4's, left ten o'clock level continue left turn!
Vikkyvik From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 8228 posts, RR: 28 Reply 11, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1143 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW PHOTO SCREENER
From what I've learned, the Starship was a starry-eyed but impractical venture in the first place, and it took attention away from the Beech King Air, which was a much more practical and efficient airplane. The Starship suffers from the same problems that plague canard designs, such as the main wings not being as close to the center of gravity as one might desire. That, along with various other issues, made the Starship an uneconomical venture. Gotta say though, they look damn cool.
~Vik
"Two and a Half Men" was filmed in front of a live ostrich.
JetChaser From Canada, joined Dec 2003, 187 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1133 times:
Miles_mechanic
I think an attempt to make a Starship with jets was done previous to the Starship. The one I am thinking of was called a Lear Fan. Perhaps someone else can clarify or confirm/deny this, in any event the one I am thinking of was shelved many years ago.
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9287 posts, RR: 13 Reply 13, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1124 times:
The biggest and really only down fall of the Starship was that it never lived up to its performance expectations. Fuel burn was never met and Max speed feel far short of initial design specs.....and thus few aircraft where manufactured and sold. With only 50 airframes out on the market, Raytheon was finding it harder and harder to support it as MANY parts where Starship specific. AS of January 1st 2004, Raytheon was buying back all 50 aircraft with a offer of a 'deal' on any Raytheon / Hawker product. All aircraft where to be SCRAPPED due to any liability reasons.
If any of you have access to Aviation International News there was a great artical a few months back that clearly spelled out the reasons behind this event.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
Miles_mechanic From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 132 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 1062 times:
JetChaser
Thanks for the info, I will have to look and see if I can see any photos of it. I know that the Starship was a first attempt for Beech at using the composites, and canard shape, so that will explain its problems I guess, but love the look of it if only it did have those jets and be a bit bigger to give stand up head room.
thanks again
MoPac From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 215 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 1027 times:
Setjet's link says that Raytheon *is* going to donate several airframes to museums and technical schools. One has already been donated to the Kansas Aviation Museum according to the link.
In any case...
It's sad to see the Starship come to this end. I vividly remember buying a Popular Mechanics magazine at HOU (while flying WN) back when the Starship made its debut in the late 80s... they had a great pic of a Starship inflight on the cover... I was amazed... "Starship" sounded & looked like the future.
Canoecarrier From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 2657 posts, RR: 12 Reply 16, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 981 times:
Didn't they run a PT-6 engine in these? The whole thing has to be on the airframe right? I'm a little removed out of the GA world but used to deal with one of these everyday, and the owner seemed pretty happy with his plane. I'll have to find out what he's flying now.
L-188 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 29352 posts, RR: 62 Reply 17, posted (9 years 3 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 960 times:
Yup, can't remember the dash number but it was a PT-6
Which is one of the few installations of the PT-6 where they air wasn't flowing through the engine backwards!
[Edited 2004-02-14 07:51:53]
OBAMA-WORST PRESIDENT EVER....Even SKOORB would be better.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2528 posts, 
From China, joined Sep 2000, 534 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2315 posts, 
From Micronesia, joined Dec 2003, 224 posts, 
From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 132 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
