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Beech Starship - Why Did It Fail?

Blackened From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Posted (8 years 9 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 2447 times:

What are the reasons behind the sad story of such a remarkable aircraft. Are those Starships stored/scrapped in the desert brand new ones they didn't sell?

9 replies: All unread, jump to last

Kictbrit From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 3 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (8 years 9 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 2397 times:

Basically it failed due to economics.

It cost as much a small biz jet and finished up heavier than the original design weight. Also it carried two people less than the Beech Super King Air which it was supposed to replace.

All the aircraft in the desert are aircraft that Raytheon has purchased back from the owners or had there leases terminated by Raytheon.

There is a good article in the current Smithsonian Air & Space magzine about the Starship.

Dave

Type-rated From United States of America, joined Sep 1999, 4349 posts, RR: 20
Reply 2, posted (8 years 9 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 2376 times:

And there is one in pretty good shape sitting at the Museum of Flight Restoration Center in Everett, WA. An amazing bird. While I have never flown one, I have seen them fly at various times over the years. That design was way out there on the edge for many years.

Fly North Central Airlines..The route of the Northliners!

FriendlySkies From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 4004 posts, RR: 6
Reply 3, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2210 times:

I heard that Beechcraft bought back most of the frames because they were too costly to maintain. I believe they were built of all composites, and retired for much the same reason as the Concord...the manufacture stopped providing support. A shame, the Beech 2000 was a beautiful machine.

StearmanNut From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 352 posts, RR: 0
Reply 4, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2074 times:

If wishes were horses, a Tail Dragger I would fly...

NorthStarDC4M From Canada, joined Apr 2000, 2804 posts, RR: 40
Reply 5, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2064 times:

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I don't see why the military didn't take on the surplus Starships for some personnel transport use. Even though they be costly to maintain, what diff does it make when the miltary regularly buys $800 toilet seats and $2,000 hammers.

Mostly because Raytheon had already destroyed most of the back-stock of parts and destroyed the jigs and tools to make those parts... and is very soon going to finish off the remaining airframes that are currently in the desert. It's a very sad end to a revolutionary design. Raytheon/Beech tried to sell both the USAF and Immigration/Border Patrol on buying some 2000s for a long time, for VIP use and/or border patrol, but obviously neither was interested.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

DesertJets From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 7673 posts, RR: 18
Reply 6, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 2050 times:

While a nice looking plane and a great technology test bed... it was probably too far ahead of the curve. A Cessna CJ1 or CJ2 pretty much matches its mission profile and is cheaper overall. While corporate aircraft can become toys for well paid executives... eventually the common sense of the accountants kick in.

Stop drop and roll will not save you in hell. --- seen on a church marque in rural Virginia

Areopagus From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1357 posts, RR: 1
Reply 7, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 1992 times:

Well, at least one Starship is still in use as a chase aircraft for Rutan's Spaceship 1. The three chase planes - Extra 300, Beech Starship and the AlphaJet - perform a victory pass after flight 15P.

AKelley728 From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2101 posts, RR: 6
Reply 8, posted (8 years 9 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1931 times:

Blackened:

The cover article for this month's Air&Space Smithsonian magazine is all about the Beech Starship. Goes into the history in good detail. Pick up a copy if you can:

http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Mag/latest.html
http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/asm/Mag/Index/2004/AS/Contents.html

WGW2707 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 1197 posts, RR: 38
Reply 9, posted (8 years 9 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1864 times:

My grandfather was heavily involved in the design of the Starship as Tally Corp. was a major Beech contracter apparently...he used to tell stories about it...very interesting.

I am infuriated that Raytheon is trying to destroy the majority of Starship airframes.

-WGW2707

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