JB-1 Traveller

The Beechcraft JB‑1 Traveller is a light, twin‑engine utility aircraft that entered production in the early 1970s as an evolution of the company’s successful Model 95‑B. Developed at the Wichita, Kansas plant, the Traveller was conceived to fill a niche between the single‑engine Bonanza and the larger King Air families, offering operators a modestly larger cabin, higher payload and the safety of two Pratt & Whitney PT6A‑27 turboprop engines. The first prototype flew on 12 March 1972 and received certification in 1974, after which Beechcraft delivered 154 units to corporate, regional, and governmental customers worldwide. Key features include a low‑wing aluminum airframe, retractable tricycle landing gear, pressurised cabin with seating for up to nine, and a maximum cruise speed of 260 knots. Its fuel‑efficient turboprop powerplant and short‑field performance made the JB‑1 a popular choice for remote‑area service and medevac missions. Although production ended in 1981, the Traveller left a lasting imprint by demonstrating the viability of a compact twin‑engine platform that bridged the gap between piston‑aircraft comfort and turboprop reliability, influencing later designs such as the Beechcraft King Air C90 series.

Beechcraft

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