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Model V35 and V35A Bonanza. Early production versions of the Model 36 featured a utilitarian interior that was not well received by some Beechcraft customers accustomed to the well-appointed cabin of the V35. The company did, however, offer a deluxe interior in addition to the standard and utility versions that were designed for the rugged environment of air taxi operations.
During the 1969 model year, 79 of the versatile Model 36 were built. For the 1970 model year, Beech Aircraft officials paid attention to feedback from salesmen and operators calling for more upgrades to the airplane that would essentially make it a six- seat equivalent of the V35B – the company’s single-engine flagship. There was, however, a problem of how the new Bonanza was perceived by operators.
Bonanza historian Larry A. Ball summed up the situation this way: “The original Beech factory approach to marketing the Model 36 was to advertise it as an aerial moving van, an air taxi, a carry-all and an ideal charter airplane for the fixed base operator. Although the Model 36 was all of these, the [company’s] marketing approach did not sell many airplanes.”3 Although Beechcraft dealers were eager to sell the Model 36, a key disadvantage was that most of air taxi and charter operators were already dealers for Cessna and Piper airplanes, and they were not inclined to buy a Beechcraft.
As a result, it was decided to give the airframe a “make-over,” a new look that would bring it up to V-tail Bonanza and Baron standards, both inside and out. Perhaps more importantly, the advertising shifted emphasis to the owner-flown segment of the market – a group that had purchased so many Bonanzas over the years. The changes that occurred demanded a new designation, and the Model A36 was born.
The A36 boasted a litany of improvements from a much more aesthetic, eye-catching exterior paint design, a luxurious interior
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with a choice of leathers, three green landing gear “DOWN” annunciator lights instead of one used on earlier aircraft; Hartwell quick- release cowl latches, redesigned instrument subpanels, engine and fuel quantity indicators used on the Model 55 Baron, optional internally- lighted flight instrumentation, and electroluminescent components that provided improved lighting for night flying.
These and other changes increased empty weight to 2,023 pounds from 1,980 (including standard avionics), but performance remained the same with a maximum speed of 204 mph, range of 530 statute miles with 50 gallons of useable fuel (980 miles with optional 80-gallon capacity), and service ceiling of 16,000 feet.
As was the usual custom, further improvements were made during 1970-1972 as the A36 established itself as the “Rolls-Royce” of six-seat, high-performance single-engine airplanes in the general aviation industry. A sampling includes:
= Wing tips used on the V35B were adopted to the A36, increasing wingspan to 33 feet 6 inches from 32 feet,10 inches.
= Thicker Plexiglas on the pilot’s side window
= Rotating beacon mounted on top of vertical stabilizer
= Anti-slosh fuel cells that prevented momentary loss of fuel flow during slips, skids
and turning takeoffs with low fuel level in the tanks
= Optional club seating (center two seats facing aft, rear
two facing forward) became available beginning with serial number E-221
= From E-226 onward, a relay was added to the landing gear electrical circuit that prevented illumination of
the three green landing gear “DOWN” annunciator lights until the gear motor had completed its operating cycle
= Redesigned ventilation system to increase volume of airflow and to reduce noise
Production of the A36 during the 1970-1971 model years began with E-185 and ended at E-282 – 98 units. Base price started at $42,950, but in August 1970 increased to $45,550.
As sales of the A36 continued into the late 1970s there was a growing, albeit small, movement toward a turbocharged version of the A36. Beech Aircraft had long been familiar with the advantages of turbocharging, and in the 1966 model year the company offered the Bonanza V35TC. With a base price of $37,750 and powered by a Continental TSIO-520-D engine rated at 285 horsepower, the artificially-aspirated Bonanza could maintain maximum manifold pressure all the way up to an altitude of 19,000 feet.
As expected, performance increased significantly, with a
Introduced in 1981, the B36TC featured significant upgrades that set it apart from its predecessor, the A36TC. An important improvement was the airplane’s fuel capac- ity that was increased to 108 gallons. Production was terminated in 2002 after 424 airplanes had been built. (Wichita State University Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives)
OCTOBER 2023