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Beechcraft Starship 2000

Discussion in 'Jet Aviation Discussion' started by HTMO9, Jun 26, 2016.

  1. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2012
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    A German flying magazine had a big feature story about the Beechcraft Starship 2000 aircraft from the mid eighties this month. We were KingAir 200 operators at that time and very interested in this aircraft. But as soon as it became clear, that the Starship would be an FAR 25 aircraft (havier than 12.500 lbs) we lost interest on this amazing aircraft and I did not follow its history anymore.

    But this article brought it back to my mind.

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    One more really fascinating aircraft designed by the Mastermind Burt Rutan. My know was, that only 53 aircraft were built until 1995 and the support finally canceled and all aircraft destroyed.

    But the arcticle proved, that 5 aircraft are still "alive" and 4 of them are even flying! A flying report was part of the article. Even the aircraft never met its advertised specs, it is still fascinating as far as performance and technology is concerned.

    Today, the King Air is still under production and we are still King Air operators but this quantum leap did not make it, really amazing.

    The aircraft, its design and technology must have been to far ahead of its time.
  2. JetForums

    JetForums Publisher/Admin

    Joined:
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    The whole Starship-saga is a sad chapter in the history of aviation. I recall a show (Discovery or History Channel?) documenting one man's fight to keep them in flight. He already owned one Starship, but acquired another one to scavenge parts as needed to keep his primary bird in flight for many years to come. A quick YouTube search didn't reveal the show, but there were a number of nice videos taken by enthusiasts.

    Beechcraft Starship walk-around video at an airshow...


    On final at Harbor Springs...


    In flight, from the cockpit...
  3. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2012
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    120
    The man operating this two Starships is Raj Narayanan at the Marana Regional Airport north of Tuscon. He owns NC 33 and NC 50.

    In 1981, I bought my first privately owned powered aircraft. Believe it or not a Canard Pusher.
    The SC-160 Speed Canard. The Cocpit was taken from a 2-seat glider, swept wing with two independent rudders (if you pushed both pedals, they acted as speedbrakes) and a 160 HP Lycoming engine with constant speed prop. Fast like a devil, pretty easy to fly except landing but so noisy, that the airfield manager hated me, everytime I took off (noise complains by the neighbourhood).

    Single engine pusher and some twin also (Piaggio Avanti) have the same system inherent noise problems of helicopters, as the air going above the wing hits the prop with a different speed than the air passing below the wing (Rotor impact noise). Real fun to fly, except there was not much baggage space but you could detach the wings and place the ac in a trailer. The aircraft was parked with retracted nose gear for easy entry. My kids always made the joke, look Fury cares for a ride :).

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    When the noise problem got bigger and bigger and many airfields did not allow landings with this
    noisemaker anymore, I sold it to guy in Italy and exchanged it with a Boeing Stearman, which I still own till today. My wife always said, Men are are grown up boys with (to much) money in their pockets :D.