February 2007 - American Bonanza Society

GUEST EDITORIALPAST PRESENT FUTURE:BEECHCRAFT IS BACK!BY PATRIC ROWLEY, WICHITA, KANSASWhile the 1920s were roaring all across America, thebusiness of aviation was going through tumultuoustimes in my city Numerous new aircraft design conceptsand start-up enterprises to get them off theground whirled around in the entrepreneurial imaginationsof the pioneers of general aviation.uring the early years of the pre-general aviation era,Walter Beech, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearmanpooled their talents and became the Travel AirCorporation. The relatively brief history of this associationended when each of the three departed to pursue his ownvision and his own special place in aviation.The company that bore Stearman's name would beacquired by Boeing and, through the acquisition, establish alarge and very prominent footprint for aircraft production inWichita, the self-proclaimed "Air Capital of the World."Clyde Cessna would start his own company and later tumthe reins over to his nephew, Duane Wallace, under whoseleaderShip it would become a colossus in worldwide sales ofbusiness, training and personal aircraft.In 1932 Walter Beech, the last of the triad, founded hisown company, the Beech Aircraft Company. With his wifeOlive Ann in the right seat, he began a straight and level flightinto a very special place of honor among aviation greats.Walter, a prototypical pilot of his time, was also a selftrainedaircraft designer/engineer with a naturally intuitive eyefor aeronautical refinements. His main passion was always topush the envelope of quality and performance for aircraftcoming out of the Beech factory. Meanwhile his wife andcompany co-leader molded a highly motivated, extraordinarilydedicated family of employees into a widely respectedcommunity and aircraft industry asset.The great tradition of strong and uncompromising qualitystandards set by Walter Beech began with the Model 17Staggerwing and progressed through more than 7,400 AT-7 andAT-Il training aircraft for Allied military forces in WWII. Andhis standards grew even more stringent in the post-WWIl era.This tradition endured through changes of Beech ownershipand management, strategies and policies and hasremained a strong underpinning in the new high-tech age atBeechcraft.In more recent times, a decision was made to move out theBeechcraft identity in favor of Raytheon Company signs andsymbols. However, much of the old brand hung tough foranother day.Now the family brand is back in place in a stand-aloneoperating company formed by its new owners-equity firmsOnex Corporation and Goldman Sachs. In due course, the newcorporation will acquire principal assets of Raytheon AircraftCompany. Until then, it will be business as usual under thenew brand name, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation.Jim Schuster, chairman and chief executive of Raytheonsince 200 I, will remain in that same post to guide HawkerBeechcraft. It was Schuster who championed bringing theBeechcraft identity back into service during Raytheon'sownership.Continuing Beechcraft in the corporate name is a significantopportunity for the new enterprise to move ahead. Andmost mindful of the potential power of the Hawker Beechcraftbrand name are the thousands of proud owners of Bonanzas,Barons and Travel Airs who hope to see value-added for theirairplanes by a new and vigorous partner providing support andencouragement.The greatest share of those owning Bonanza-type aircraftare members of ABS, and many of these members will meetthe Hawker Beechcraft leaders at the ABS ConventionSeptember 5-9 this year in Wichita, where thefirst ABS Convention convened in 1969. Thiswill be a significant opportunity for ABS tostrengthen connections with tbe companythat produced the airplanes that gaveour Society its reason for being.Patrie Rowley is a former editor ofthe ASS Magazine and has sinceserved as its editorial consultant.Beginning at eight years old. his lifeIn Wichita has spanned all of theBeech company history. He hasalso written and produced numer·aus promotional programs andbrochures for Beech. He expectsonly his enemies to calculate hisage.Page 10054