Textron Aviation has unveiled a special edition of its Beechcraft Bonanza G36 single-engine piston aircraft that can now be ordered for deliveries in 2022 – the 75th anniversary of the type’s market entry. The option includes a custom interior and paint scheme inspired by Olive Ann Beech’s signature blue.
More than 18,000 Bonanza aircraft have entered the market since deliveries began, 15 years after Walter and Olive Ann established Beech Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas.
Olive Ann became president in 1950 upon Walter’s death, making her the first woman to head a major aircraft company. Her legendary career spanned 50 years and by the time she retired in 1982, she’d played key roles in growing the company from 10 to 10,000 employees and made an impact on the aviation industry in numerous ways.
The 75th-anniversary special-edition Beechcraft Bonanza G36 is inspired by Mrs Beech Blue, a custom colour Olive Ann adopted on the advice of fashion designer Oleg Cassini. The colour became her brand and could be found on everything from her dress suits and office furnishings to her automobile’s paint and personal aircraft interiors.
The commemorative Bonanza G36 incorporates the colour on the exterior paint scheme and the interior’s window panels, carpet and accents. The seat upholstery lines and sidewall/table contours add a sporty, modern interest to the retro colour palette. Other details include a Bubble B logo – registered in 1954 – on the carpet entry and Olive Ann’s signature, used as a metal piece above the cabin table and as an exterior graphic below the pilot window.
The six-seat Beechcraft Bonanza G36 has a cabin that can be arranged into various configurations quickly. Performance-wise, the aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 176 knots, a maximum range of more than 920 nautical miles (1,704km), a 1,060 lb maximum payload and an 18,500ft service ceiling. Among the recent upgrades is Garmin’s G1000 NXI next-generation integrated flight deck.
