Originally Posted by
421dog
Barons started out with a max gross of around 4200#. They progressed in a non pressurized form to the point that with the G 58 and 58tc you’re up around 5800#, but that limited one with 6 pax to around 58 gallons and an hour with reserves. Miraculously, the B58-P got to 6200#, but for some reason, the wings started falling off, and they life-limited the airframe to 10K hrs. From personal experience, with full fuel, (the one I’m driving while my 421 is still waiting for a new engine) it flies like a rock with me and the clothing and gear it takes me to exist in a hotel as a professional for a couple of weeks.
It is obviously overweight, despite being ok “by the book”
I love my 421. It is a consummate aircraft. I really like other beech twins (even the 18s and T-Bones {gotta like three in the front} ) but 55s, unpressurized B58s and even duchess’ are really nice planes.
They also did a B58-PA which dropped the MAUW by about 100 to allow it to slot into a lower U.K. bracket thus allowing a simpler and cheaper maintenance. The aircraft was exactly the same, just a paperwork job to drop the weight and a P nailed on the end of the badging.