Since the GFC 700 is fully incorporated into the G1000, the buttons for the GFC 700 are easier to access than the separate KAP 140 box was, and as would be expected, the action of the integrated system appears to be smoother and slightly more precise. At that time, the Bonanza became the first platform with the integrated GFC 700 autopilot, a huge improvement over the G1000-Bendix/King KAP 140 autopilot combination that early G1000 platforms used.
While the airplane has morphed through the years, the Bonanza’s riveted metal and low-wing design has stood the test of time.īeech launched the G36 in 2005 to usher in the era of flat panel avionics with the introduction of the Garmin G1000 fully integrated, WAAS-capable avionics - the “G” part of G36 is for Garmin. Today’s Bonanza is still in many ways the same kind of airplane the original was: fast, practical and stylish.
However, in the past couple of years, Beechcraft has built no more than a few dozen Bonanzas a year, a fraction of the production rate of the Cirrus SR22. While the Cessna 172 still claims that title, more than 18,000 Bonanzas have been delivered to date, and the airplane regularly sells out its production.
The Bonanza is not, however, the most produced light airplane by a long shot. No other airplane has been able to achieve such a lengthy production record. But today’s Bonanza is a very sophisticated platform, one that has enjoyed a wealth of improvements, from spinner to tail, over its 65-year production span. The latest model, the G36, bears a passing resemblance to the revolutionary original, which Beech Aircraft began selling way back in 1947.
When the subject of legendary light airplanes comes up, one of the names certain to be mentioned early in the conversation is the Beechcraft Bonanza.
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