Beechcraft Duchess 76

Beechcraft · United States · first flew 1974 · light aircraft

The Beechcraft Duchess 76 is a light twin-engine trainer and personal aircraft designed for multi-engine instrument flight training. Its counter-rotating propellers eliminate critical engine handling issues, making it ideal for training.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.84 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Light twin with T-tail and counter-rotating propellers
Side-by-side four-seat cabin with low wing
Popular multi-engine training aircraft

Recognisable by its T-tail, low straight tapered wing, and twin piston engines mounted on the wings; the counter-rotating props mean both engines turn opposite directions compared to a standard twin.

Specifications

The Beechcraft Duchess 76 has a length of 8.84 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 11.59 m (38 ft).
Its maximum speed is 311 km/h (193 mph).
Typical crew: 1-2, up to 4 occupants.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flying in 1974, the Duchess was Beechcraft's answer to the Piper Seminole and Cessna 310 in the light twin market. It entered production in 1978 and proved popular with flight schools as a step-up twin trainer. Production ended in 1982 after about 437 aircraft were built.

Variants

Only one production variant exists; the Model 76 designation covers all production aircraft.

Where you'll see it

Widely used in flight training schools in the United States and internationally; many remain in active use as multi-engine trainers.

Related aircraft

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