Beechcraft Baron 58

The Beechcraft Baron 58 is a twin-engine piston aircraft with six seats including the pilot's. On a charter one pilot flies and up to five passengers come along, four of them in the club group behind the cockpit. There is no pressurisation and no toilet, so the Baron 58 is an air taxi for short trips rather than a business aircraft for long legs.

A flight hour costs less than in a turboprop, but the aircraft cruises about a third slower and lower, inside the weather rather than above it. Nice - Calvi takes 0:59 h and Geneva - Samedan 1:17 h; beyond about three hours a Pilatus PC-12 or a small jet is the better choice.

Cabin: four seats, like a large car

The cabin is 3.84 m long, 1.27 m high and 1.07 m wide. The pilot and one passenger sit in front, behind them four seats face each other in pairs. A large double door at the rear makes boarding and loading bags easier. Standing up is impossible, and with four adults in the club seats knees come close together.

Versions with the same cabin:

There is no galley and no cabin crew, so bring water and snacks. Engines and propellers are clearly audible, so passengers wear headsets, through which they also hear the pilot.

Baggage: soft bags rather than suitcases

Weight matters more than space. Fuel, passengers and luggage share 707 kg, and with full tanks only 179 kg remain for the pilot, passengers and bags. With four on board the operator fuels only part of the tanks, and that decides how far the Baron 58 flies non-stop.

• Four passengers: one soft bag each and a small item in hand
• Hard suitcases, skis or golf bags only with two or three passengers
• Medicine and documents in hand luggage, as the holds cannot be reached in flight

Speed, weather and small airfields

With two engines the Baron 58 may carry passengers commercially at night and in cloud without the special approval the EU requires for single-engine types. Textron gives up to 2,741 km of range, but that figure leaves almost nothing for people and bags: with four on board, legs over about three hours usually need a fuel stop.

Flying a piston twin in Europe

• Fuel: the Baron burns avgas, which some airfields do not sell, so the operator checks or carries fuel for the return
• Busy airports: Nice and Geneva are slot-coordinated, so book early for summer weekends and winter Saturdays
• Domestic legs: an EU operator may fly Milan - Rome or Madrid - Ibiza, while London - Edinburgh needs a UK operator
• Documents: the operator needs a passport or ID even within Schengen; EU citizens need an ETA for the UK

Baron 58 routes from European hubs

Thirty-one one-way legs from all thirteen hubs, none with a planned fuel stop. Prices are for the whole aircraft with pilot, without airport fees and passenger taxes; flight time is the great-circle distance plus taxi, climb and approach.

Up to two hours: the range where a piston twin makes sense

Two to four hours: possible, but long without a toilet

London Farnborough - Nice (3:18 h) suits one or two passengers with light bags; with four adults expect a fuel stop, and a turboprop is about an hour quicker. Greece from Central Europe, the Canary Islands and Courchevel need another class of aircraft.

The calculator gives an indicative price for the Baron 58 or a similar piston twin on your route, including small airfields.

What a Baron 58 charter costs

The rate starts at EUR 1,200 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel. Short legs cost well above the rate times the flight time: Nice - Calvi takes 0:59 h and costs from EUR 4,000, as positioning and the operator's minimum charge apply to every flight.

Further away the hour gets cheaper: London Farnborough - Jersey (1:11 h) from EUR 4,500, Madrid - Palma (1:59 h) from EUR 5,500 and London Farnborough - Nice (3:18 h) from EUR 7,000. The price is the same for one passenger or five.

Geneva - Nice for the whole aircraft and split between passengers, before taxes and fees:

Paying less for a piston twin

Empty Legs on piston aircraft

Empty Baron 58 legs are rare, because few operators offer the type and most trips are short returns. When one appears, it can be 30-60% below a normal charter, but the date and route are fixed and the leg can be cancelled if the aircraft is sold as a full charter.

Baron 58 or a turboprop

Faster, pressurised alternatives:

What we need for a quote

• Route, date and a departure window in case of weather
• Number of passengers and their rough weight
• Bags, skis, golf bags or a pet
• If a turboprop is acceptable when the forecast is poor

We send offers only from AOC holders, with the version, avionics and base of each Baron 58.

Beechcraft Baron 58: questions and answers

• • How much does a Baron 58 flight cost?

  • From EUR 1,200 per flight hour. Geneva - Nice costs from EUR 4,500 and Madrid - Ibiza from EUR 5,000 for the whole aircraft one way, before airport fees and passenger taxes.

• • What comes on top of the table price?

  • Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, winter de-icing and, on a return after several days, the pilot's hotel or two empty legs. Milan - Rome adds EUR 100 per passenger in Italian tax.

• • Why does a one-hour flight cost more than the hourly rate?

  • The operator adds positioning and a minimum charge per flight, so Nice - Calvi (0:59 h) costs from EUR 4,000.

• • How can I fly the Baron 58 for less?

  • Return the same day, depart near the operator's base and keep the time flexible. For two people a smaller piston twin may be cheaper.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Baron 58?

  • Rarely, as few operators fly it. A leg that does appear can be 30-60% below a normal charter; send your route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • How many passengers can fly?

  • Five at most: four in the cabin and one next to the pilot. With five adults and bags little fuel fits, so two to four people is realistic.

• • Is there a toilet on the Baron 58?

  • No. On legs over two or three hours the pilot plans a stop on the way.

• • Can we take skis, golf bags or a dog?

  • Skis or a golf bag fit with two or three passengers, within 0.79 m³ and 191 kg. A small dog flies in the cabin in a carrier with the operator's consent.

• • Can the Baron 58 land at small airfields?

  • Often yes: take-off at maximum weight needs 715 m over a 15 m obstacle, if the airfield has avgas or the aircraft carries fuel for the return. The operator approves each airfield.