Hawker Beechcraft Starship I Specs and Description

Background/History

The Beech 2000 Starship 1 was conceived as a new generation light corporate aircraft in the King Air class. Beech Aircraft first looked to Burt Rutan’s company, Scaled Composites, Inc. to design and produce an 85 percent scale technology demonstrator of a canard-configured aircraft. Success in testing led to the construction of the prototype Starship I which made its first flight in 1986, powered by two Pratt & Whitney of Canada PT6A-65 turboprop engines. Initial FAA certification was awarded in June 1988, while the first production example was flown in April 1989. A total of 19 Starship Is were produced before the line was transitioned to the Starship I, 2000A. The 2000A model reduced passenger seating to six from eight, has higher takeoff weights, increased range, and reduced cabin noise levels.

Power

The Beech 2000, Starship I, is powered by two Pratt & Whitney of Canada PT6A-67A turboprop engines each rated at 1,200shp and driving a five-blade, constant-speed McCauley fully-feathering, reversible-pitch propeller. Inspection interval on the engines is 3,000 hours.

Avionics

The Beech 2000 Starship 1 incorporates a Collins Concept 4 avionics package which incorporates 14 separate full-color CRT displays. The system is heavier and generates more heat than the newer EFIS displays, but has many ease of use features missing from newer panel layouts.

Design Features

The unconventional Starship design incorporates many innovations foremost of which is the rear-mounted laminar-flow wing and variable geometry canards or foreplanes. The canards sweep forward with flap extension for pitch trim compensation and are designed to make it impossible to stall the aircraft on takeoff or landing. The wing itself is constructed almost entirely of composite materials and has tip-mounted sails which function as both vertical fins and winglets. The rear-mounted engines are in a tractor arrangement behind the cabin area. The proximity of the engines to the aircraft centerline and to each other allows comfortable single-engine handling.

Accomodations

The Beech 2000 Starship 1 has eight passenger seats in a club plus two arrangement with a single seat against the rear cabin bulkhead. The right seat on the flight deck is also available for an additional passenger, if desired. A fully enclosed lavatory, a refreshment center and a port-side airstair forward of the main wing are also present. The aft cabin incorporates a rear baggage compartment, accessable only from inside the aircraft. The interior cabin dimensions are 21.1ft. in length, 5.5ft. in height and 5.5ft. in width.