Textron ends Beechcraft Bonanza, Baron production

Textron Aviation has confirmed it will end production of the Beechcraft Bonanza G36 and Baron G58, drawing a close to nearly eight decades of continuous manufacturing for two of general aviation’s most recognizable piston aircraft.   The company said it will continue to support the tens of thousands of Bonanzas and Barons flying worldwide, as it shifts investment toward new products such as the single-engine turboprop Beechcraft Denali. 

“As part of Textron Aviation’s product investment plan, the company will end production of the Beechcraft Baron G58 and Beechcraft Bonanza G36 models once all current orders are fulfilled,” the manufacturer confirmed in a statement after some noted on social media that the products had disappeared from Textron’s website.  

The move brings an end to one of the longest production runs in aviation history. The Bonanza first flew in December 1945 and entered production in 1947. According to the American Bonanza Society, more than 26,000 Bonanza-family aircraft have been built, including the V-tail variants, straight-tail models and Debonairs, along with the Baron line.   Textron noted it has delivered more than 3,000 Barons and 18,000 Bonanzas, although the full total is even higher when including early production series. 

The production stoppage, first reported by AvBrief.com, was not unexpected as shipments for both models have been lagging the market for years. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Textron delivered just five Bonanzas and two Barons in 2024, and four Bonanzas and two Barons in the first half of 2025. Those volumes made the aircraft among the lowest-selling certified piston models in continuous production. 

The decision to end Bonanza and Baron production reflects broader shifts in the general aviation piston market. Cirrus and Diamond Aircraft have dominated high-performance piston aircraft sales over the past two decades, while legacy retractable-gear singles and piston twins have seen shrinking in market share. Many newer buyers have gravitated toward composite airframes and lower-cost operating profiles, leaving the Bonanza and Baron competing in a shrinking niche of the certified piston segment, despite their reputation for solid build quality and excellent flying qualisites. 

Textron’s focus now turns toward the Denali, which the company says will anchor its single-engine product lineup once certification is complete. The company did not disclose how many Bonanza and Baron orders remain to be delivered before the line in Wichita, Kansas, closes. The post Textron ends Beechcraft Bonanza, Baron production appeared first on AeroTime.

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