Beechcraft Aircraft Founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1932, the Beech Aircraft Corporation started during the Great Depression and just before World War II began. Founder and President Walter Beech, oversaw operations until he unexpectedly died in 1950. While Walter was alive, his wife, Olive Ann Beech, worked alongside him as Beech Aircraft’s secretary and treasurer. After her husband’s death, Olive took over as President for 18 years and served as board chairman until retiring in 1982. Beechcraft’s Model [...]

Mooney Mooney International Corporation took root in 1929 through Albert Mooney and his brother Arthur. Together they established the company in Wichita, Kansas. However, they faced the perils of a crashing economy. When the Great Depression struck in 1930, Mooney went bankrupt. While the brothers worked other jobs, Al fed into Mooney Aircraft Incorporated, eventually bringing in financial bankers Charles Yankey and W. L. McMahon. Mooney's first aircraft was the Mooney Mite M-18, a single-seater aircraft designed to [...]

Did your company purchase an aircraft after September 27, 2017? If so, your investment may be eligible for bonus depreciation. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) allows eligible aircraft to receive 100% bonus depreciation in the same year as the purchase. The goal is to encourage small businesses to make investments that will stimulate the economy. However, act quickly because the deductible percentage will begin to phase down on January 1, 2023. This provision allows businesses [...]

Piper Aircraft Founded by two brothers, Clarence and Gordon Taylor, in 1927, Piper was first known as the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Manufacturing Company. Just a year later, the company would undergo a name change to Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation due to the death of Gordon Taylor. When the Great Depression caused the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation to go out of business, Clarence retreated from a career in aviation. In addition to the company’s financial burdens, Clarence was also [...]

Beechcraft Aircraft The Beech Aircraft Corporation was founded in Wichita, Kansas, in 1932 during the Great Depression and before the start of World War II. Its founder, Walter Beech, served as its President until his unexpected death in 1950. Afterward, his wife, Olive Ann Beech, transitioned from her role as Beech Aircraft's secretary and treasurer to take his place as President for 18 years and as a chairman of the board until her retirement in 1982. Beech's duties [...]

People are booking commercial flights faster than airlines know how to handle the volume of travelers. A good number of bookings are because so many traveling plans have been on hold for several months or even years. So, if you're looking to get away from commercial airlines and take your private aircraft on an adventure, you have a few options before blocking out your calendar. When it comes to convenience, amenities, and nice-to-haves, these are the top 10 [...]

Cessna Aircraft Clyde V. Cessna founded Cessna in 1916 after seeing an airshow near Oklahoma City in 1911. A mechanic and auto salesman, he assembled his aircraft using a kit from Queens Airplane Company in the Bronx. After several failed attempts, he eventually got the hang of flying and became a decent pilot. By 1916, he began using the Jones Motor Car factory in Wichita, Kansas, to start production for his aircraft. By 1917, Cessna had built the [...]

Beechcraft Aircraft The first aircraft built by Beechcraft in the 1930s wouldn't truly be the start of Walter Beech's career. In the 1920s, Beech first built a Travel Air aircraft that was a conventional round-engine, rag-and-tube taildragger – nothing like the tricycle landing gear planes that would take over the future of aviation. Officially formed in 1932, the Beech Aircraft Company was the idea of pioneer aviator Walter Beech, who had served as a pilot for the United [...]