- by Dianna Lopez
General Aviation Icons: Beechcraft G35 Bonanza & Cessna 402C Businessliner
- by Dianna Lopez
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MotoArt is thrilled to introduce another set of General Aviation PlaneTags, made from two iconic and enduring planes - the Cessna 402 C Businessliner and the Beechcraft G35 Bonanza. Read more about these general aviation icons and how you can own a piece of their history.
General Aviation
Cape Air Cessna 402C; N2651S@BOS;04.02.2008/497ab flickr photo by Aero Icarus shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license
General aviation has a rich history of not only daredevils and visionaries barnstorming and breaking barriers, but also of everyday people using the wings they had in front of them to get the job done. From the early days of aviation, throughout the post war years and into the 21st century, aircraft like the Cessna 402C and Beechcraft G35 brought the practice of using personal planes to conduct business into the reach of average citizens. Cessna, Beechcraft, and Piper as well as war surplus planes played a major role in improving existing operations like firefighting, mail delivery, and farming, and creating new industries like air taxis and commuter planes that saved time and personnel costs. Generations of pilots learned to fly in Cessnas and Beechcrafts.
1956 Beechcraft G35 Bonanza flickr photo by Armchair Aviator shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
According to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), today there are about 591,000 civilian pilots in the U.S. alone, with 70% of them flying general aviation aircraft in a multitude of roles. They also estimate that two thirds of general aviation flights are flown for business and public services which require that transportation be more flexible than the large commercial airlines can offer. Sometimes there is a distinction made for commercial air transport, such as charter airlines or air taxis, but are generally included in General Aviation. Some examples of general aviation flights are:
- Aerial firefighting
- Agricultural aviation
- Emergency medical evacuations
- Search and rescue
- Traffic reporting
- Transporting medical goods or humanitarian aid
- Airborne law enforcement
- Surveying and mapping
- Business or personal travel
- Overnight delivery
- Sightseeing and tours
Cessna 402C Businessliner
The Cessna 402C Businessliner was a lightweight, twin piston aircraft, the dependable workhorse of its class designed to be inexpensive to own and operate. The roomy Cessna 402s could be configured for cargo or for carrying 6 to 10 passengers, some with removable seats. They weren't pressurized or particularly fast, but they had good performance numbers and became a reliable mode of corporate transportation. The 402C Businessliner was certfied on September 25, 1978, midway through the 402 production run which lasted from 1967 to 1985.
N526FA
The Cessna 402 C Businessliner PlaneTags are made from the genuine skin of N526FA. N526FA was built in 1981 and flew for Yellow Air Taxi (YAT), an air taxi based out of Fort Lauderdale, FL. ‘526FA transported passengers and cargo between Florida and the Bahamas until retirement in 2011. MotoArt obtained the original aircraft skin material for both planes in 2022 and created PlaneTags.
MotoArt owner Dave Hall was passionate about adding another set of general aviation PlaneTags to the catalog. Says Hall, "This year, while going to all of the air shows we went to, we had the opportunity to meet so many really amazing general aviation pilots. We love the big commercial jets and the historic vintage and military planes, but we really wanted to celebrate the general aviation pilots."
Cessna 402C Businessliner Specs
Specifications:
- Manufacturer: Cessna
- Tail #: N526FA
- Crew: 1 Or 2
- Passengers: 7
- Wing Span: 44 Ft 2 In
- Length: 36 Ft 5 In
- Height: 11 Ft 5 In
Performance:
- Range: 1,274 Nm
- Cruise Speed: 213 Kts
- Ceiling: 26,900 Ft
- Empty Weight: 4,069 Lb
- Max Takeoff Weight: 6,850 Lb
- Rate Of Climb: 1,450 Ft/Min
- Engine: 2x Continental Tsio-550 Ser Piston
Cessna 402C Businessliner PlaneTags
The Cessna 402C Businessliner PlaneTags are numbered to 1,000 and will be initially available in the following variants:
Taxi Yellow
Black/Yellow Dual Color
Black/Yellow Letters
Black/White
Black/White Checkerboard
They will be available on planetags.com and the PlaneTags App beginning October 20, 2022. This is a very limited release, so PlaneTags collectors will want to grab some of these special tags as soon as they are available.
Cessna PlaneTags
In Spring 2021, MotoArt introduced their first General Aviation PlaneTags, which included a Cessna 172 Taildragger. They were made from the original skin of N6922A, which was built in 1956. They are now sold out so don’t miss the opportunity to add a Cessna 402C PlaneTag to your collection.
Beechcraft G35 Bonanza
The Beechcraft G35 was a single engine, cantilever low wing, piston aircraft first introduced in 1956, and just one of an enduring line of Beechcraft Bonanzas, which have been in continuous production longer than any aircraft in history. The G35 was powered by a Continental E-225-8 engine and featured retractable landing gear and the distinctive V-tail, designed to reduce drag. It seated up to 4 passengers and 1 pilot, and was touted as the modern company’s method of saving manpower, man-hours, and money by operating their own business aircraft.
N35BE was built in 1956 and was privately owned throughout its many years of operation. MotoArt obtained the original skin in 2022 and created G35 PlaneTags.
Beechcraft G35 Bonanza Specs
Specifications:
- Manufacturer: Beechcraft
- Tail #: N35be
- Crew: 1
- Passengers: 4
- Wing Span: 32 Ft 10 In
- Length: 25 Ft 1 In
- Height: 7 Ft 7 In
Performance:
- Range: 550 Nm
- Cruise Speed: 160 Kts
- Ceiling: 19,000 Ft
- Empty Weight: 1,722 Lb
- Max Takeoff Weight: 2,770 Lb
- Rate Of Climb: 1,300 Ft/Min
- Engine: 1x Continental E-225-8 Piston
Beechcraft G35 Bonanza PlaneTags
The Beechcraft G35 Bonanza PlaneTags are numbered to 2,500 and will available initially with the following variations:
Red
White
Red/White Dual Color
Tri Color
Collectors, be sure to grab these for your PlaneTags collections. They also make the best pilot gift, especially when engraved with something special. They are available in the PlaneTags app and planetags.com starting on October 20, 2022.
Beechcraft PlaneTags
MotoArt also created Beechcraft A36 PlaneTags. Read about them on our blog: General Aviation Giants: Beechcraft Bonanza A36 and Cessna 172
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