Beechcraft Model 99

Model 99
A Jamaica Air Shuttle Model 99
Role Twin-engined utility monoplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Beechcraft
First flight July 1966
Introduction 1968
Status Active
Produced 1966-1987
Developed from Beechcraft King Air
Beechcraft Queen Air

The Beechcraft Model 99 is a civilian aircraft produced by the Beechcraft. It is also known as the Beech 99 Airliner and the Commuter 99. The 99 is a twin-engine, unpressurized, 15 to 17 passenger seat turboprop aircraft, derived from the earlier Beechcraft King Air and Queen Air, using the wings of the Queen Air, and the engines and nacelles of the King Air, and sub-systems from both, and with a unique nose structure used only on the 99.

Design and development

Designed in the 1960s as a replacement for the Beechcraft Model 18, its first flight was in July 1966. It received type certification on May 2, 1968, and sixty-two aircraft were delivered by the end of the year.

In 1984, the Beechcraft 1900, a pressurized 19-passenger airplane, was introduced as the follow on aircraft.

Production ended in early 1987. Nearly half the Beech 99s in airline service are now operated as freighters by Ameriflight.

Variants

Ameriflight Beech C99 freighter takes off from the Mojave Airport
Beech 99s of Britt Airways operating under contract to Allegheny Commuter at Chicago O'Hare in 1975

Operators

Commercial

In July 2011 a total of 130 Beech 99 aircraft remained in civil service, all but two of them in North and South America. Major operators included Alpine Air Express (12 aircraft), Ameriflight (57), Bemidji Airlines (11), Freight Runners Express (10) and Wiggins Airways (10) with these aircraft primarily being operated in air freight operations. 21 other airlines and the National Police of Colombia operated smaller numbers of the type. Wiggins was acquired by Ameriflight and is the biggest operator of the type.[1] In June 2015, Lake Clark Air was operating a Beech 99 from Port Alsworth, AK.[2]

Former airline operators in the U.S. and Canada

A considerable number of commuter and regional airlines in the U.S. and Canada previously operated the Beechcraft Model 99 in scheduled passenger service. The following list of air carriers is taken from Official Airline Guide (OAG) flight schedules from 1974 to 1995:[3]

Former Military operators

 Chile
 Peru
 Thailand

Other small commuter airlines in the U.S. and Canada operated the Beechcraft Model 99 as well. The aircraft has also been used in air cargo feeder operations transporting freight.

In addition, Texas International Airlines, which operated Douglas DC-9-10 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jetliners as well as Convair 600 turboprops, also flew several Beechcraft 99A aircraft during the early 1970s.[4]

Specifications (Model 99A)

Data from Green[5]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

  1. ↑ Flight International 2011 World Airliner Census, p.10; retrieved 31 August 2011
  2. ↑ "FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Inquiry".
  3. ↑ Official Airline Guide (OAG flights schedule editions: 4/1/74, 11/15/79, 4/1/81, 7/1/83, 2/15/85, 12/15/89 & 4/2/95
  4. ↑ http://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1970 Texas International system timetable
  5. ↑ Green, William, The Observers Book of Aircraft, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd, 1970. ISBN 0-7232-0087-4

External links

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