Beech 2000A Starship 1 Close-Up – Rockford AirFest 2014

Beech 2000A Starship 1 Close-Up Walk Around – Rockford AirFest 2014

This walkaround is truly a rarity as only eleven were made and only nine are active according to the FAA. Only five are privately-owned and airworthy. I am most grateful to the folks who flew this one in so we could all enjoy it and photograph it. I have seen a few of these before and have seen several flying overhead even but this is I think the closest I’ve been in quite some time.

There are almost no pictures anywhere of this particular reg# number as a Starship as it is quite new to this aircraft. Formerly the reg number, N903SC, belonged to a Hawker Siddeley HS125 but that airplane has since been retired it seems. This pressurized twin-turboprop 6-8 passenger business aircraft is driven by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-76A engines each having 1,200 SHP. The propellers are 5 bladed McCauley’s and are 8ft 8 in in diameter.

Originally meant to be a replacement for the King Air, known as Preliminary Design 330 (PD330), the carbon fiber composite airframe and canard design made this a ground-breaking airplane and it continues to turn heads today.

This great article and videos by my friends over at Airlinereporter.com, https://www.airlinereporter.com/tag/be…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM6V0T…
gives a good overview.

This aircraft has a crew of 1, a length of 46.1ft, wingspan of 54.5ft, height 12.9ft, empty weight of 10,085 lb. and a gross of 15,010 lb or so. Max t/o weight is 14,900 lb. Max speed is 385 mph 620 km/h, 335 knts with a cruise of 353 mph or 307 kts. it has a range of 1,576 mi (1,370 nm) and a service ceiling of FL410 (RVSM certified).

Rockford Airfest 2014
Chicago Rockford International Airport KRFD / RFD
Saturday June 7th, 2014