Beechcraft Queen Air B80

Beechcraft · United States · first flew 1966 · light aircraft

The Beechcraft Queen Air B80 is the principal production variant of the Queen Air series, powered by more capable Lycoming IGSO-540 engines compared to the Model 70, offering improved performance for corporate and utility transport.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Seven-passenger oval-fuselage Beechcraft twin
T — Tail	Conventional

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

Spot it by:

Twin piston light transport; uprated Lycoming IGSO-540 engines vs Model 70
Seven-passenger oval-fuselage Beechcraft twin
Distinguishable from King Air by piston engines and absence of turboprop nacelles

Virtually identical airframe to the Model 70; higher-powered engines produce slightly different cowling profiles; both distinguishable from the King Air by piston exhausts.

Specifications

The Beechcraft Queen Air B80 has a length of 10.82 m (35 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15.32 m (50 ft).
Its maximum speed is 390 km/h (242 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

The B80 was the best-selling Queen Air variant and was produced from the mid-1960s until Beechcraft transitioned its marketing effort entirely to the turboprop King Air. Many B80s remain flying today as durable and economical light transports.

Variants

The B80 superseded the A80; both shared the IGSO-540 powerplant family. The Model 70 used the smaller IGSO-480.

Where you'll see it

Extensively used by US and international corporate and commuter operators; military versions served with numerous air forces in the liaison and training roles.

Related aircraft

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