Textron Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of Beechcraft 58’s First Flight; Current G58 Variant On Display At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh

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Textron Aviation-owned Beechcraft is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the company’s Baron 58 twin-piston model in 1968. Beechcraft would make its first delivery of the aircraft the following year. (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

In 1969, Beechcraft test pilots first flew a prototype of what eventually became the high-performance Beechcraft Baron 58 twin-engine piston aircraft. As soon as the Baron 58 entered the market a year later as the “industry’s fastest light twin,” it was a success, says Chris Crow, Textron Inc. vice president of piston sales.

This year, Textron Inc., which owns the Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker brands, is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Baron 58’s first flight. Some five decades later, Crow says the aircraft continues to lead its class in performance due to the company’s continuing investment in its piston product line and due to “ensuring customers have access the latest technology.”

A Perfect Combination

A descendant of the extremely successful Beechcraft Bonanza model and a variant of the Baron 55, the Baron 58 is credited with introducing club seating and double aft baggage doors. The aircraft remains in production in the form of the current Baron G58 twin-engine piston model that was originally introduced in 2005. The G58 will be on display at the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) AirVenture Oshkosh 2019 trade show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at the Wittman Regional Airport running July 22nd to 28th.

“Through constant innovation and technology upgrades since its introduction in 1969, the Baron 58 is the perfect combination of versatility, superb performance, and handling, offering the latest in technology and cockpit/cabin comfort,” says Crow.

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The Baron 58 lives on today in the Beechcraft G58, a version that draws power from twin Teledyne Continental IO 550-C engines and that includes the Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck. (Photo courtesy of Textron Aviation.)

A Legacy Continued

Able to fly up to six passengers, Beechcraft says the Baron is a “versatile recreation and business” model that can complete training, charter, and other missions. The plane is equipped with twin Teledyne Continental IO 550-C engines, each rated for 300 horsepower. The G58 offers a 1,480-nautical-mile (2,741-kilometer) maximum range, 1,559-pound (707-kilogram) useful load, and 202-ktas maximum cruise speed. The latest G58 version includes new Garmin GMA 1360 audio panel, GFC 700 autopilot with E-AFCS (enhanced automatic flight control system), and GWX 75 Doppler weather radar equipment as standard and optional inclusions to enhance the Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck onboard.

You’ll find hundreds of new and used Beechcraft aircraft for sale every day on Controller.com, including a big selection of Baron 58s, Baron G58s, and other variants.

Source: Textron Aviation

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