Get to know the Beech 76 Duchess aircraft
The Beech 76 Duchess aircraft is a four-place light twin aircraft that originated from the USA. It was developed in the 1970s. Its prototype (PD-289) took flight in September 1974. Thirty months of development work followed before the Model 76 was finally produced. It took its first flight on 24 May 1977. It was certified in early 1978, and its first deliveries took place in May 1978. Its sales were at their highest in 1979 with 213 units built.
Its manufacturer, Beech, developed the 76 Duchess for their Beech Aero Centers. They marketed it as a personal use light twin, light charter, and multi-engine training aircraft. It was meant for low-cost, high-volume production, but the excitement over light twin aircraft began to dampen, and an economic recession added salt to the wound. Production of the Beech 76 Duchess aircraft ended in 1982.
Characteristics
Planeandpilotmag.com cites the following as “outstanding” characteristics of the Beech 76 Duchess:
- Aerodynamically advantageous T-tail, which places the horizontal surfaces above the propeller slipstream for better stability and handling
- Opposite rotating propellers to eliminate the “critical engine” aspect of multi-engine flying
- A 28-volt electrical system was added in 1980 to provide increased cranking power in cold weather, more power for avionics
By 2016, improvements included a “Throttle Q Switch.” This “prevents the landing-gear warning horn from sounding when the throttle is retarded if the airspeed is kept above 99 knots; this allowed the pilot to reduce power during descent without having to listen to the gear horn.”
Fast facts
Here are more information on the Beech 76 Duchess as published on skybrary.aero:
- Name: 76 Duchess
- Manufacturer: BEECH
- Body: Narrow
- Wing: Fixed wing
- Position: Low wing
- Tail: T-tail
- WTC: Light
- APC: A
- Type code: L2P
- Engine: Piston
- Engine count: Multi
- Position: (Front) Wing leading mounted
- Landing gear: Tricycle retractable
- Mass group: 1
- Also known as: Beech 76 Duchess or Beech Duchess
Technical data:
- Wing span: 11.6 m
- Length: 8.9 m
- Height: 2.9 m
- Powerplant: 2 x 180 HP Lycoming 0-360-AIG6D piston engines with 2 blade propellers
- Engine model: Lycoming O-360
The Beech 76 Duchess seats four (one pilot, three passengers). Its gross weight in 3,900 lbs. Its fuel capacity is 100 gallons.
Sources:
8295-20 Muffler
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8295-101 Cylinder 1
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8295-102 Cylinder 2
8295-102 Cylinder 2
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8295-103 Cylinder 3
8295-103 Cylinder 3
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8295-104 Cylinder 4
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