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How to Buy a Beechcraft Baron 55 / Travel Air: Buyer's Guide
A solid, honest-flying piston twin with Beech build quality, where condition, engine time and maintenance history matter far more than model year.
Updated October 2026 · Market data from 34 live fyiAero listings, the FAA registry and NTSB records
Overview
The Beech 95 family covers the four-cylinder Model 95 Travel Air and the six-cylinder Baron 55 series that grew out of it. These airplanes earned their reputation on solid construction, pleasant handling and a cabin that feels more substantial than most light twins. Decades after production ended, they remain a common step-up twin for owner-pilots who want real IFR capability and the comfort of a second engine.
The current market is mostly Barons. Of the 34 aircraft listed on fyiAero right now, 19 are B55s, 12 are listed as 55 Barons, one is an A55 and two are Travel Airs. Model years run from 1958 to 1980. Asking prices range from $84,900 to $395,000, with a median of $177,250. The FAA registry shows 1,241 of these airplanes still registered in the U.S., so you have a reasonable pool to choose from. Shops and parts support are well established.
These airplanes are 45 to 65 years old, so treat every one as an individual. The median listed airframe has 4,437 hours. Two Barons of the same year can be worlds apart depending on engine time, corrosion, gear condition, avionics and how carefully they have been maintained. Shop the logbooks and the pre-buy, not the paint.
Who it's for. The Baron 55 suits a pilot who flies regular cross-country trips of a few hundred miles, often in IFR weather, with two to four people aboard. It also suits pilots who want twin-engine redundancy for night or over-water flying. The Travel Air is the budget way into a Beech twin. It is cheaper to buy and feed but noticeably slower and lighter on payload. Plan on a solid instrument rating and multi-engine training before you buy. Insurers look hard at total multi time and time in type. A low-time multi pilot should expect higher premiums and possibly lower hull limits. Insurers will likely also require dual instruction with a qualified instructor before solo coverage, plus recurrent training. Get insurance quotes before you make an offer, not after.
Generations and variants
| Version | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Model 95 Travel Air (95, B95, B95A, D95A, E95) | 1958-1968 | Two four-cylinder Lycoming 180 hp engines, carbureted on early models and fuel-injected on later ones, with a smaller cabin and less payload than the Baron. This is the bottom of the price range, and the 1958 examples on fyiAero average about $93,250, so it is the cheapest way into a Beech twin if speed and load matter less to you. |
| Early Baron (95-55 / 55 and A55) | 1961-1964 | The first Barons added six-cylinder Continental 260 hp engines and the swept tail to the Travel Air airframe, giving a big jump in climb, speed and useful load. These short-body Barons usually trade below later B55s, and pricing depends mostly on engine time and avionics. |
| B55 Baron | 1964-1982 | This is the long-running mainstream model, with 260 hp Continental IO-470 engines, refined systems and optional extra seating. It is the most common Baron on the market and the benchmark for pricing, with values driven by engine time, gear and corrosion condition, and panel upgrades. |
| C55, D55 and E55 Baron | 1966-1982 | These models moved to 285 hp Continental IO-520 engines and a lengthened nose with more baggage space, giving better speed and payload. They generally command a premium over comparable B55s, but IO-520 overhauls cost more, so engine time has a bigger effect on price. |
What a Beechcraft Baron 55 / Travel Air costs to buy
30 priced listings on fyiAero right now ask between $84,900 and $395,000, with a median of $177,250 and a median of 4,437 hours total time. Against fyiEstimate, 12 are priced below estimate, 1 within range and 15 above.
- Airframe time shows a clear break in fyiAero listings. Aircraft with 2,000-3,000 hours have a median ask of $207,450, and those with 3,000-5,000 hours have a median of $212,000. Above 5,000 hours the median drops to $129,900. A high-time airframe can be a bargain if the engines, gear and spar areas check out.
- Model year is a weak price predictor. A 1966 listing averages $235,000 while 1978 listings average $172,225. Engine time since overhaul, prop time, panel and condition move the price far more than the date on the data plate.
- Price both engines and both props as a set. A Baron with mid-time engines is priced as if you will soon buy two overhauls. A fresh pair justifies paying near the top of the $84,900-$395,000 asking range.
- Separate the models when you compare prices. A Travel Air, a short-body 55 and an IO-520 E55 are not the same airplane, and the median ask of $177,250 blends them all together.
- Budget for avionics. A tired 1970s panel with an original autopilot can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars to modernize, so a well-equipped airplane at a higher ask is often the better deal.
- Insist on complete logbooks back to new. Missing logs, unresolved gear-up or prop-strike history, or long periods of inactivity should come off the price, or be a reason to walk away.
Average asking price by model year
Median asking price by airframe time
| 2,000–3,000 hrs | $207,450 | 4 listings |
| 3,000–5,000 hrs | $212,000 | 13 listings |
| 5,000+ hrs | $129,900 | 11 listings |
Pre-buy inspection checklist
Have a shop that knows the type do the pre-buy, and ask them to research every applicable AD and service bulletin. Pay particular attention to:
- Landing gear retraction system. The Beech electromechanical gear uses a motor, gearbox, torque tubes, retract rods and rod ends that wear and get out of rig. Have the airplane put on jacks and cycled. Check for free play, proper uplock and downlock tension, and a working emergency extension.
- Wing spar, carry-through and attach fittings. Corrosion and cracking in spar caps, attach fittings and the carry-through area are expensive on an old aluminum twin. Ask for a thorough look with inspection panels removed and records research for applicable ADs.
- Engines and borescope of every cylinder. Continental IO-470 and IO-520 engines need compressions, borescope images, an oil analysis trend and a look for crankcase cracks. Have the shop research crankshaft and other engine ADs, and confirm calendar time since overhaul, not just hours.
- Fuel bladders and fuel system. Barons use rubber fuel cells that harden, crack and leak with age, and replacing them is costly. Check for fuel stains, smell and clips, and verify that the selectors, crossfeed and any auxiliary tanks work correctly.
- Combustion heater. The gas-fired cabin heater carries recurring inspection requirements because a cracked combustion chamber can leak carbon monoxide or start a fire. Verify the inspection and pressure-test history, and install a CO detector regardless.
- Exhaust system and turbo components if equipped. Cracked stacks, mufflers and slip joints are common sources of in-flight fire and CO risk. Inspect closely with the cowlings off.
- Propellers, governors and feathering. Feathering function is critical in a twin. Check hub and blade AD compliance, time since prop overhaul, governor operation and, if installed, the unfeathering accumulators.
- Flight controls, elevator trim tab and control surface free play. Excessive trim tab or control surface play and worn hinges and rod ends can lead to flutter. Measure free play against the manual, and check cable tension and pulleys.
- Corrosion in belly, tail cone and around the nose. Old Beech airframes trap moisture in the lower fuselage and empennage. Look under floor panels and in the tail cone, and check the nose structure for corrosion and past repairs.
- Damage history and logbook continuity. Gear-up landings and prop strikes are common in retractable twins. Look for matching 337 forms, sudden prop overhauls and gaps in the records, and confirm the weight and balance is current after every mod.
Popular upgrades
- Engine conversions to larger Continentals. STC'd upgrades, typically on earlier Barons, can add power, climb and payload. They add value when the work is well documented, but they raise overhaul costs and should be priced with that in mind.
- Modern glass panel and GPS navigators. Garmin-class flight displays and WAAS navigators are the single biggest value adders. Buyers pay well for a finished panel because doing it themselves costs more than the premium.
- Digital autopilot replacement. Many original autopilots are hard to support. A modern STC'd digital autopilot is a strong selling point in a single-pilot IFR twin.
- Vortex generators. VG kits can lower stall and minimum control speeds, giving extra margin at low speed. They are a modest value add and are well regarded by insurers and instructors.
- Engine monitors and fuel flow systems. Multi-probe engine analyzers help with leaning and early trouble detection on two engines. Most buyers now expect them.
- Auxiliary or extended-range fuel. Added fuel capacity improves range on long legs but cuts into payload. It adds value for touring owners, but check how it affects useful load.
Ownership costs
fyiAero's operating cost estimate puts variable cost around $230 per flight hour. That is driven largely by a fuel burn of about 27.3 gallons per hour across both engines, plus engine and prop reserves. At 82 hours a year, the estimated annual budget is about $32,941, including fixed costs like insurance, hangar and the annual inspection. The same estimate uses a 196-knot cruise and about 763 nautical miles of range, which works out to roughly $1.18 per nautical mile, against an average pre-owned price of about $196,490. Remember that everything on a twin comes in pairs: two overhauls, two props, two sets of cylinders. Annuals cost more than on a comparable single. Squawks found on an older Beech can push a first annual well above a routine one, so keep a healthy reserve in the first year of ownership.
Safety record
NTSB records show 39 accidents involving this family over the last 10 years, five of them fatal and one aircraft destroyed. Against the 1,241 U.S.-registered aircraft, that is about 31.4 accidents and 4.0 fatal accidents per 1,000 aircraft over the decade. Those numbers reflect an old fleet flown regularly in real-world IFR and cross-country conditions, and most accidents trace back to pilot decisions rather than airframe failures. The risk areas that matter in a Baron or Travel Air are well known: - Engine-failure handling near minimum control speed on takeoff and go-around - Fuel mismanagement, including selector position, crossfeed and auxiliary tanks - Gear-up and gear-collapse landings - Weather decisions Type-specific initial training, regular recurrent training with real single-engine work, disciplined checklists and a well-maintained gear system go a long way toward keeping you out of those statistics.
Alternatives to consider
- Beechcraft Baron 58. This is a longer cabin with club seating and aft double doors, better for family hauling. It costs considerably more to buy and runs similar operating costs.
- Piper PA-34 Seneca. It is roomier and has counter-rotating props on most versions, which makes it popular with insurers and trainers. It is generally slower and lacks the Beech feel and build quality.
- Cessna 310. It offers similar speed and price at a strong value with good payload. It has different gear and fuel system quirks and its own corrosion concerns.
- Piper PA-30/PA-39 Twin Comanche. It is much cheaper to buy and burns less fuel, competing directly with the Travel Air. It has a tight cabin, small payload and a demanding reputation at low speed.
- Beechcraft A36 Bonanza. It has a similar cabin feel and comparable speed with one engine to maintain, so it is cheaper to own and insure. You give up twin-engine redundancy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Beechcraft Baron 55 cost?
Aircraft listed on fyiAero right now are asking between $84,900 and $395,000, with a median of $177,250. Travel Airs and high-time airframes anchor the low end. Low-time engines and modern panels push prices toward the top.
What is the difference between a Travel Air and a Baron?
The Travel Air uses two four-cylinder Lycoming engines and is lighter, slower and cheaper to run. The Baron uses six-cylinder Continentals and gains significant speed, climb and useful load. On fyiAero most listings are Barons; only two Travel Airs are currently for sale.
How much fuel does a Baron 55 burn?
fyiAero's operating cost estimate uses about 27.3 gallons per hour total at a 196-knot cruise. Actual burn varies with model, engine and power setting.
Does airframe time matter much on a Baron?
Yes, past a point. In fyiAero listings, aircraft with 3,000-5,000 hours have a median ask of $212,000, while those over 5,000 hours drop to a median of $129,900. Engine and prop condition still usually matter more than the airframe total.
Is a Baron 55 a good first twin?
It can be, with proper multi-engine and type-specific training, and it is a common step-up airplane. Insurance for low-time multi pilots will cost more and may require dual instruction first, so get quotes before buying.
What does it cost to own a Baron 55 per year?
fyiAero estimates about $32,941 a year for 82 flight hours, with variable costs around $230 per hour. Budget extra for twin-engine overhaul reserves and a possibly expensive first annual on an older airframe.
Beechcraft Baron 55 / Travel Air for sale
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Prices, fleet and safety figures update automatically from fyiAero listings, the FAA aircraft registry and NTSB data. The editorial was written by fyiAero with AI assistance from that data and general type knowledge. It is not a substitute for a pre-buy inspection, title search or professional advice.
