General Aviation

Beech V35b

Manufacturer: BEECH

The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general‑aviation aircraft first flown in 1945 and introduced to market in 1947. It is a four‑to‑six seat, single‑engine airplane that has been in continuous production longer than any other aircraft in history, with more than 18,000 units built.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
beech-v35b
Class
General Aviation
Registry Count
911
Example Registration
N100AN

Specifications

Wingspan
10.21 m / 33 ft
Length
8.38 m / 27 ft
Height
2.62 m / 8 ft
Cruise Speed
326 km/h / 203 mph
Range
1326 km / 716 nmi
Ceiling
5600 m / 18500 ft
First Flight
1945-12-22
Production Start
1947
Total Built
18546

Aircraft Overview

History

Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas, designed the Bonanza as a low‑wing, all‑aluminum aircraft with a V‑tail and retractable tricycle gear. Production began in 1947 and continued in various versions until December 2026, when Textron Aviation announced the end of production. Over 18,000 Bonanzas and 6,000 twin‑engine derivatives were produced, making it the world’s longest‑produced aircraft.

Design

The original Model 35 featured a low‑wing, all‑aluminum structure, a horizontally opposed six‑cylinder engine, and a distinctive V‑tail with combined elevator‑rudder surfaces called ruddervators. It had retractable tricycle landing gear and a castering nosewheel. Later models added a conventional tail (Model 33 Debonair) and a stretched straight‑tail version (Model 36 Bonanza).

Variants

Key variants include the V‑tail Model 35 Bonanza (1947–1982), the conventional‑tail Model 33 Debonair (1960–1995), and the longer‑bodied Model 36 Bonanza (1968–present). The V35B (1970–1982) was a major internal redesign of the V‑tail line, while the G36 (2006–present) introduced a glass cockpit.

Operations

The Bonanza has been widely used as a business and personal transport for executives and professionals. It also served as a primary trainer for the U.S. Air Force (T‑34 Mentor) and in other countries, and was briefly employed as a short‑haul feeder airline. Civil operators include air charter companies, private owners, and flight schools.

Notable Facts

  • The first light airplane to fly nonstop from Honolulu to the continental United States was a Bonanza called Waikiki Beech, covering 5,273 miles in 36 hours.
  • In 2014, MIT student Matt Guthmiller completed a 44‑day solo circumnavigation in a 1981 A36 Bonanza, becoming the youngest person to fly solo around the world.
  • The V‑tail design earned the nickname “forked‑tail doctor killer” due to early accidents, but later studies showed a slightly lower accident rate than comparable aircraft.
  • The Bonanza was used as the primary trainer for the U.S. Air Force’s T‑34 Mentor in the 1950s.
  • Over 18,000 Bonanzas have been built, making it the longest‑produced aircraft in history.

Variants

  • V35B- 911 registrations - Example N100AN

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources