Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Four-seat twin-engine cabin monoplane

Power Plant:

Two 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming O-360-B1A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engines

Specifications:

History:

Developed to meet the need for a twin-engine aircraft of similar size to the Beech Bonanza, but much smaller than the Beech Twin Bonanza, the Beech 95 Travel Air was essentially a scaled-down Twin Bonanza with the cabin of the Bonanza and the wings, tail, and undercarriage of the military trainer, the Beech Mentor.

The prototype of the series flew for the first time on 6 August 1956, and was initially known as the ‘Badger’, but this was changed to Travel Air due to the confusion with the Russian bomber known by that code-name by NATO. Deliveries to customers began after the Type Certificate was received on 18 June 1957. Fitted with dual controls, the Travel Air was in continuous production for some eight years, being replaced finally by the similar but slightly larger and more powerful Beech Baron.

The Travel Air was a four-seat low wing monoplane of all-metal construction with electrically-operated slotted flaps. Fuel capacity was 318 litres (70 Imp gals) in two 95 litre (21 Imp gal) tanks inboard of the engine nacelles, and two 64 litre (14 Imp gal) tanks outboard. Optional 117 litre (26 Imp gal) tanks could be installed in the inboard positions. Two luggage compartments were available, one in the nose and one to the rear of the cabin, both having a capacity of 122 kg (269 lb).

A series of improvements was introduced into successive models of the Travel Air as it was developed and sold on the market. The second production model was the B95A introduced in 1961. This provided an optional fifth seat and a slightly lengthened nose cone (by 48 cm / 18.8 in) housing virtually all the radio equipment. The lengthened nose also accommodated a larger luggage compartment, and at this time fuel-injection was introduced on the engines. Whereas the first production Travel Airs had O-360-A1A four-cylinder direct drive engines with two-blade Hartzell constant-speed propellers, subsequent aircraft were fitted with the O-360-B1B engine. Max take-off weight was increased to 1,859 kg (4,098 lb). The Travel Air was described as a docile aeroplane to fly, with very light and responsive aileron control. Stalling was very gentle, but with a tendency to drop the right wing.

First of the type seen in this region was a Model 95 Travel Air VH-DHA (c/n TD249) which was imported by the distributor, de Havilland Aircraft of Bankstown, NSW, arriving in Darwin, NT on 27 July 1959 after being flown from the United States via the United Kingdom, covering 29,211 km (18,151 miles) in a flight time of 112 hours 30 mins at an average ground speed of 259 km/h (161 mph). This aircraft later became VH-BSS, and later again VH-BSW, entering service with an operator at Shepparton, VIC.

After the 1961 Model B95A was introduced, three examples were imported, the first being VH-TKD (c/n TD356) which was operated by an owner at Broadbreach, QLD; VH-UAU (c/n TD380) for Connair of Alice Springs, NT, later being used by the Company’s founder, Eddie Connellan, as his personal aircraft; and VH-FDX (c/n TD411), a B95 in August 1965, registered to the importer, being operated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Adelaide, SA. Others imported included VH-FDG (c/n TC976) in January 1966, a Model 95/B55 and VH-FLL (c/n TD457), a Model D95A.

In 1963 the Model D95A was introduced, this model having a 50.8 cm (20 in) nose extension to accommodate more baggage, having an increased take-off weight of 1,158 kg (2,553 lb) and 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming IO-360-B1B fuel-injected engines. Examples of this model imported included VH-CFQ (c/n TD594) for Plant-Fab Constructions of Morwell, VIC and VH-AEM (c/n TD682) for Growan Pty Ltd of Fremantle, WA. Beech later went on to develop the series to the Model 55 Baron.