Beech 99 Airliner
The Beechcraft 99 was one of the first purpose-built commuter airliners, developed directly from the King Air's wing and systems but fitted with an unpressurised fuselage seating up to 15 passengers. Regional and commuter airlines used it extensively through the 1970s and 1980s to feed passengers into larger hub airports on routes too thin for bigger aircraft. Its relatively low cost and King Air-derived reliability made it popular with cargo operators once passenger-configured examples aged out of airline service. A number remain in active cargo and utility service today.
Did you know?
The Beechcraft 99 borrowed the King Air's wing and systems but left the fuselage unpressurised, pioneering the purpose-built commuter airliner.
Specifications
| Length | 13.6 m (45 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Height | 4.3 m (14 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 15 |
| Persons on board | 17 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 4.9 t |
| Range | 500 NM (926 km) |
| Maximum speed | 240 kt (444 km/h) |
| Stall speed | 65 kt (120 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 27,000 ft (8,230 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 24,000 ft (7,315 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,910 ft/min (9.7 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 975 m (3,199 ft) |
| Landing distance | 650 m (2,133 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,500 l |
| Engines | 2x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 |
| Units built | 239 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
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