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– neither had a single-engine, retractable-gear airplane that could accommodate six people. The Cessna Model 210 was a four-place design and Piper’s twin-engine Aztec was in a different class entirely than the Model 36.
The Beech Aircraft engineering department, led by Vice President James Lew, used the Model E33A Bonanza as a starting point and relocated the rear cabin bulkhead 19 inches farther aft (also similar to that of the Model V35A Bonanza) and stretched the E33A’s fuselage 10 inches. As a result, distance from the cabin’s forward bulkhead to the aft bulkhead increased by 29 inches. Cabin volume increased by six cubic feet, and the modification only increased empty weight by 31 pounds.
Compared to the Model S35, V35 and the V35A, the Model 36 fuselage being 10 inches farther forward over the wing, resulted in a much more flexible center of gravity (CG) envelope. The new Bonanza could easily accommodate six 170-pound occupants and remain within the specified CG envelope based on a standard- equipped airplane. Another benefit of stretching the fuselage was a 10-inch increase in landing gear wheel
base, making the airplane easier to maneuver on the ground.
Another significant feature centered on making access to the main cabin easy, particularly for air taxi operators who wanted the ability to remove the aft four seats and carry lightweight cargo if required. To provide that access, engineers designed a four-foot wide double door located on the right side of the fuselage. The doors, constructed of bonded honeycomb for strength and light weight, could be removed for flight although airspeed and other restrictions applied. The ability to remove the doors made the Model 36 an attractive platform for aerial photography. Air taxi operators also liked the Bonanza’s FAA certification in the Utility Category at the maximum gross weight of 3,600 pounds, as well as its cruise speed of 195 mph that placed it among the fastest six-place, single-engine lightweight transports in that market segment.2
The choice of a powerplant for the Model 36 would be the ubiquitous six-cylinder Continental IO-520-B. Rated at 285 horsepower, the reliable engine also powered the
OCTOBER 2023
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 25