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The Beechcraft Queen Air series, a family of twin-engined light aircraft, has been in use since 1960. Developed as an enlarged and improved version of the earlier Beechcraft Twin Bonanza, it has gained popularity in military, private, and corporate sectors. Over 1,000 aircraft were built across several variants before production ended in 1978. The Queen Air later served as the basis for the King Air series, with more than 7,000 units produced.
Beechcraft's history dates back to its founding in 1932. Among its well-known models are the twin-engine Model 18 and the single-engine Model 35 Bonanza. The Twin Bonanza was developed in the 1940s to bridge the gap between these two models. It first flew in November 1949 and entered service in 1951. Although popular with military operators, it struggled commercially due to slow speed and poor fuel economy compared to competitors like Cessna and Piper.
The Queen Air shares many design elements with the Twin Bonanza, including engines and wing design. Powered by two Lycoming IGSO-480 engines, it offers a larger fuselage for six to nine passengers. The first prototype flew in August 1958; US FAA certification followed in February 1959 with deliveries starting in 1960.
