Four-seat multi-engine trainer · Twin-engine piston aircraft · production 1978–1983 · See its reach on the 3D globe
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A Beechcraft 76 Duchess costs approximately $174k (€161k) to $208k (€193k) to buy at 1980 market values, and about $150k (€139k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $1,874 (€1,735) per flight hour all-in. It seats 4, cruises at 155 kt (178 mph) and has a published range of 780 nm (1,445 km), needing about 2,297 ft (700 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The Duchess is Beechcraft's multi-engine trainer: four seats, a T-tail, counter-rotating Lycoming O-360s so there is no critical engine, and handling deliberately made forgiving for a student's first taste of asymmetric flight. Alongside the Seminole it is where a large share of commercial pilots earn the rating. It was built for four years and no more. Around four hundred exist, so the fleet is small and ageing, parts carry Beechcraft prices with none of the Bonanza's volume behind them, and a light twin with 180 horsepower a side has single-engine performance that is legal rather than reassuring. Buy it for a training operation, not as a private twin.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,769 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 578 kg |
| Usable fuel | 378 L |
| Service ceiling | 19,500 ft |
| Engine | 2 x Lycoming O-360-A1G6D, 180 hp each |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 4 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 829 lb (376 kg) |
| Published planning range | 780 nm (1,445 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 523 nm (969 km) |
| Cruise speed | 155 kt (178 mph) |
| Runway need | ~2,297 ft (700 m) |
| Landing gear | Retractable tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $37k (€34k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $346 (€320) |
A pleasant and capable multi-engine trainer, but the small fleet and ageing airframes can make support expensive.
Indicative cash costs at 1980 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $136k (€126k) | $3,402 (€3,150) | $869k (€805k) |
| 80 h / year | $150k (€139k) | $1,874 (€1,735) | $939k (€869k) |
| 120 h / year | $164k (€152k) | $1,364 (€1,263) | $1.01m (€933k) |
| 180 h / year | $184k (€171k) | $1,025 (€949) | $1.11m (€1.03m) |
Every figure above is built from a $37k (€34k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $346 (€320) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $76k (€71k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Beechcraft 76 Duchess cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
On top of a pilot certificate, this aircraft obliges the person flying it to hold the following. Each one is time and money before the first trip, and insurers usually attach their own minimums on top.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 1980 market price for a Beechcraft 76 Duchess is $174k (€161k) to $208k (€193k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, a Beechcraft 76 Duchess works out at roughly $150k (€139k) annually, which is about $1,874 (€1,735) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $346 (€320).
Published range is 780 nm (1,445 km). With 4 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 523 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Beyond a pilot certificate, a Beechcraft 76 Duchess requires multi-engine rating and complex airplane endorsement. An airplane multi-engine land class rating. Insurers add their own minimum: multi-engine time, time in this make and model, and often a checkout with a named instructor before you fly it solo. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 2,297 ft (700 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.