ICAO BE58

Beechcraft Baron

Beechcraft

TravelerPulse profile

Versatile twin-engine piston aircraft for personal and charter use.

First flight

1961

Category

Piston twin general aviation

Seating

4–6

Range

1,806 km

Engines

Two Continental IO-550-C flat-six piston engines

Status

In production

The Beechcraft Baron is a twin-engine piston aircraft produced by Beechcraft, a division of Textron Aviation. It was introduced in 1961 as a development of the Travel Air model, offering improved performance and greater utility for private owners, charter operators, and flight training organizations. The Baron 58, identified by ICAO code BE58, is the most popular and long-running variant, featuring a stretched fuselage accommodating up to six occupants. It is powered by two Continental IO-550 engines and is known for its handling qualities, speed, and reliability. The Baron has been widely used in general aviation, air taxi operations, and pilot training worldwide. It remains in production, making it one of the longest-running piston twin designs in aviation history.

Notable operators

The Baron is primarily operated by private owners, air taxi companies, and flight training academies rather than scheduled commercial airlines.

Notable facts

›The Baron 58 has been in continuous production since 1970, making it one of the longest-lived piston twins ever built.
›The original Baron 55 first flew in 1961 as a derivative of the Beechcraft Travel Air.
›The Baron 58 features a distinctive stretched fuselage compared to earlier Baron variants.
›It is widely used for instrument flight training and multi-engine rating courses.
›The aircraft is certified for flight into known icing conditions when equipped with appropriate de-icing systems.