One of remaining active Beech Starships was on static display at the 2017 Fort Worth Alliance Air Show- two of them are based here in North Texas. One of the design elements of the Beech Starship that’s not too widely known is that the canards are variable geometry and on landing, they sweep forward to increase their effectiveness to trim out a nose down pitching moment when the Starship’s wing flaps are deployed. Much has been written about the why the revolutionary Beech Starship failed. It certainly was heavier than planned and that additional weight came from having to meet FAA requirements which at the time were new ground from a certification standpoint. Realistically the Starship didn’t need wing flaps- that added 800 lbs of weight for questionable gain, but flaps were needed for certification. Lowering the wing flaps shaved off only about 5 knots off the Starship’s stall speed. Adding to the weight was the need for the structure and mechanisms to sweep the canard forward when the wing flaps were deployed. Regardless, the Starship was a ground breaker and I’d even argue it blazed a regulatory pathway for composite aircraft of today like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It was the first certificated all glass cockpit/FMS aircraft. It was the first certificated all composite business aircraft. It was the first certificated tandem wing (canard) aircraft. It was the first certificated pusher aircraft. #Avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KAFW #AFW #AllianceAirport #FWAAS2017 #AllianceAirShow2017 #airport #planespotting #Beech #Starship #N723SC #instagramaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvGeekNation #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Fort Worth Alliance Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3TIxQnBW2z/?igshid=1o819cwadbedb
