Six-seat high-performance personal transport · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 1970–2005 · See its reach on the 3D globe
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A Beechcraft A36 Bonanza costs approximately $429k (€397k) to $513k (€475k) to buy at 2005 market values, and about $64k (€59k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $800 (€741) per flight hour all-in. It seats 6, cruises at 176 kt (203 mph) and has a published range of 920 nm (1,704 km), needing about 1,903 ft (580 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The A36 is the straight-tail, six-seat Bonanza with the double doors and club-seating cabin that make it a genuinely useful family and business aircraft rather than a two-plus-luggage single. It is the practical Bonanza. Even so, six occupants still trade against fuel and baggage, and Beechcraft ownership means Beechcraft parts and maintenance costs. As a used buy it is one of the most sought-after traditional singles, so condition, engine time and equipment, not year alone, set the price. A strong choice for owners who need the cabin.
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 | 1,656 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 544 kg |
| Usable fuel | 280 L |
| Service ceiling | 18,500 ft |
| Engine | Continental IO-520-BA or IO-550-B, depending on serial number |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 6 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 952 lb (432 kg) |
| Published planning range | 920 nm (1,704 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 616 nm (1,141 km) |
| Cruise speed | 176 kt (203 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,903 ft (580 m) |
| Landing gear | Retractable tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $30k (€28k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $259 (€240) |
A genuinely useful cabin and excellent handling, but six occupants still require fuel and baggage compromises.
Indicative cash costs at 2005 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 | $54k (€50k) | $1,342 (€1,243) | $735k (€681k) |
| 80 h / year | $64k (€59k) | $801 (€741) | $787k (€729k) |
| 120 h / year | $74k (€69k) | $620 (€574) | $839k (€777k) |
| 180 h / year | $90k (€83k) | $500 (€463) | $916k (€849k) |
Every figure above is built from a $30k (€28k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $259 (€240) 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 $57k (€53k) 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 A36 Bonanza 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 2005 market price for a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza is $429k (€397k) to $513k (€475k). 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 A36 Bonanza works out at roughly $64k (€59k) annually, which is about $800 (€741) 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 $259 (€240).
Published range is 920 nm (1,704 km). With 4 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 616 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Beyond a pilot certificate, a Beechcraft A36 Bonanza requires complex airplane endorsement. Retractable gear puts this aircraft in the complex class of 14 CFR 61.31(e), alongside flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller, which retractable types carry as a matter of course. It is a one-time instructor endorsement in your logbook, but the insurance condition behind it is the part that costs money: underwriters usually want a stated number of hours in retractable-gear aircraft before they will write the risk at standard rates. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 1,903 ft (580 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.