Beechcraft Model 99

The Beechcraft Model 99, also known as the Beech 99 Airliner and the Commuter 99, is a twin-engine, unpressurized turboprop aircraft with 15 to 17 passenger seats. Designed in the 1960s as a replacement for the Model 18, it uses the wings of the Queen Air, the engines and nacelles of the King Air and sub-systems from both, with a specially designed nose structure. It first flew in July 1966, received type certification on 2 May 1968 and had 62 aircraft delivered by the end of that year. Production ended in early 1987 with 239 airframes completed, and the pressurized 19-passenger Beechcraft 1900 was introduced in 1984 as its follow-on. Nearly half of the Model 99s in airline service are now operated as freighters by Ameriflight.