The Beechcraft Bonanza is a single engine light aircraft that Beechcraft introduced in 1947, originally distinguished by its unusual V-tail combining the functions of a rudder and elevators into two slanted tail surfaces, a configuration later variants dropped in favor of a conventional tail. It holds the distinction of the longest continuous production run of any airplane in history, remaining in production for private and business flying long after most of its contemporaries were retired.
Facts
SignificanceThe four to six seat, single engined aircraft has been in continuous production longer than any other aircraft in history. 1 Manufacturer or BuilderBeech Aircraft Corporation 1 FAQs
Why was the Bonanza V-tail called the doctor killer, and was the reputation deserved?
Crashes by overconfident amateur pilots earned it the name, but a 1982 to 1989 accident study found a slightly lower accident rate than comparable types.
The V-tail gained a reputation as the "forked-tail doctor killer" because of crashes by overconfident wealthy amateur pilots, fatal accidents and in-flight breakups. A later analysis by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of accident records for common single-engine retractable-gear airplanes in the United States between 1982 and 1989 found that the Bonanza had a slightly lower accident rate than other types in the study. Pilot error was cited in 73 percent of V-tail crashes and 83 percent of conventional-tail crashes. The study did note an unusually high incidence of gear-up landings and inadvertent gear retractions on the ground, which it attributed to a non-standard gear switch on early models that is easily confused with the flap switch.
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Sources
1. Wikipedia: Beechcraft Bonanza
WikipediaLead section
The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas.
Lead section, second sentence
The four-to-six seat, single-engined aircraft has been in continuous production longer than any other aircraft in history.
In Group: Single-Engine Piston Light Aircraft, Lead sentence
The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas.
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