Textron Aviation Confirms Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Discontinuation Following Their Quiet Removal from Website

Eagle-eyed general aviation pilots spotted a notable development of the Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron piston models on the Beechcraft website in mid-November. In a Pilots of America discussion forum, members noticed that the Bonanza and Baron sections of the site have been removed entirely:

Several days later, Textron Aviation responded to an AvBrief inquiry, confirming that the company will end production of both models after all outstanding orders are fulfilled.

To many, this change represents the long-anticipated retirement of the two models from Beechcraft’s portfolio. Although not prominently announced, Avweb reported that the company “temporarily suspended” their production in February 2024, with subsequent production fulfilling the last remaining orders for each type. The same report specified that Textron delivered five examples of each type in 2023.

If the production of each type is indeed being brought to a close, it will cap off a legacy dating back to 1947, when the Bonanza was first introduced. The single-engine offering would go on to branch into multiple civilian and military versions, culminating in over 18,500 examples produced.

The Baron, introduced in 1961, was a twin-engine evolution of the Bonanza. Like the Bonanza, it was initially equipped with four seats and later grew to six. To date, over 6,000 examples have been produced.

Both represent two of the most successful general aviation aircraft ever produced, primarily appealing to private owners seeking safe and reliable cross-country traveling capability.