Beechcraft Duchess 76 vs Cessna 303 Crusader

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

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Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Beechcraft Duchess 76
38 ft × 29 ft ⭥ 10 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized
Cessna 303 Crusader
39 ft × 30 ft ⭥ 13 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Beechcraft Duchess 76Cessna 303 Crusader
Stall speed 70 kt69 kt
Approach speed 85 kt90 kt
Cruise speed 158 kt196 kt
Range 780 nm1020 nm
Service ceiling 19650 ft25000 ft
Rate of climb 1248 fpm1480 fpm
Fuel burn 20.0 gph27.2 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Beechcraft Duchess 76 Avgas
20.0 gph
Baseline
780 nm range 7.9 nm/gal 100 gal usable $130 fuel/hr 5h 00m endurance
Beechcraft Duchess 76: 20.0 gph at cruise, 780 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 0 minute endurance, 7.9 nautical miles per gallon.
Cessna 303 Crusader Avgas
27.2 gph
Baseline
1,020 nm range 7.2 nm/gal 153 gal usable $177 fuel/hr 5h 37m endurance
Cessna 303 Crusader: 27.2 gph at cruise, 1,020 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 37 minute endurance, 7.2 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed

Bars show published still-air range: select a cell to view cruise-hours and fuel usage. Endurance is full tank at the displayed cruise burn rate; the extra is reserve and economy margin. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing over 50 ft obstacle

Density Altitude

Monte cristo

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Hourly direct and annual fixed costs

Scale:
Beechcraft Duchess 76 Avgas
$200 /hr
Baseline
Beechcraft Duchess 76: $200 per flight hour — fuel $130, maintenance and reserve $70.
Cessna 303 Crusader Avgas
$392 /hr
Baseline
Cessna 303 Crusader: $392 per flight hour — fuel $177, maintenance and reserve $215.
Beechcraft Duchess 76 Piston
$9,861 /yr Baseline
Beechcraft Duchess 76: $9,861 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $7,361, annual inspection $2,500.
Cessna 303 Crusader Piston
$10,306 /yr Baseline
Cessna 303 Crusader: $10,306 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $7,806, annual inspection $2,500.

Estimates only. Hourly direct operating cost, based on fuel price and reserves; Annual fixed costs (insurance, hangar, and inspection). Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Payload vs useful load limit

+ cargo
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Beechcraft Duchess 76 Piston
4 / 4 seats cargo 100 gal / 100 gal fuel 870 lbs wet payload 1,470 lbs useful 3,900 lbs MTOW
Cessna 303 Crusader Piston
6 / 6 seats cargo 153 gal / 153 gal fuel 927 lbs wet payload 1,845 lbs useful 5,150 lbs MTOW

Shows selected occupants against full fuel, within the aircraft's useful-load limit. Fuel weight at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas; pax and luggage are 190 + 30 . Change payload weights in global settings.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: → · two fingers to move map

+ cargo
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