| Aviation Management |
CASE STUDY
Even today, the Beech Starship looks a futuristic aircraft when placed alongside modern general aviation business aircraft. With its swept canard wings, two rearward-facing turbo-prop engines, a mostly all-composites structure and a proposed speed of 350 knots, the idea for the development of what was to become the Beech Starship was driven in 1979 by competition and the need to find a replacement or ‘Next Generation Business Aircraft (NGBA)’ to Beech’s successful King Air which was by then 15 years old.
Before Beech could progress further with the NGBA, the company was sold to the conglomerate Raytheon. During the transition to new management, Raytheon using its Beech Aircraft organization began to examine the NGBA in 1981. Work progressed from a proof-of concept (POC) to a flying prototype.
Despite many problems in development causing schedule slippages and increase in weight, the first product Beech Starship reached the market in 1989 to a less than lukewarm reception. The aircraft failed to meet design expectations and only 50 production aircraft were built. Despite its commercial failure, the Beech Starship has many lessons in project management (PM).
You can start your research into the Beech Starship here:
Why the Starship was such a disaster
Remember though that this is one person’s opinion, and not a project manager’s opinion. It does not necessarily have to be your opinion.
