This 1965 Beechcraft Baron B55 Is a Load-Lifting ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Sharp-looking light twin came in response to rival Cessna’s popular 310.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, May 15, 2026 at 11:24 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

1965 Beechcraft Baron B55 [Credit: Carolina Aircraft]

Key Takeaways:

"Today's Top Pick" is a 1965 Beechcraft Baron B55, available for $159,000, noted for its unique qualities and appeal.
The article discusses the enduring draw of light twin-engine aircraft like the Baron, praising their performance, unique flying sensations, and crucial engine redundancy for safety, despite the rise of faster single-engine turboprops.
The featured 1965 Baron B55 has low-time overhauled engines and propellers, boasts a 1,769-pound useful load, and is equipped with modern avionics upgrades including an Avidyne IFD-540, ADS-B In/Out, and an S-TEC 60-2 autopilot.

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Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1965 Beechcraft Baron B55.

Over the past several years I have heard that single-engine turboprops have taken over the step-up category that light twins once ruled. For decades, certainly from the 1960s through the ’90s, pilots of piston singles who wanted a big boost in performance and did not mind doubling their fuel bills graduated to powerful piston twins.

This 1965 Baron’s panel carries several desirable updates. [Credit: Carolina Aircraft]

Typically these models provided more speed, more seats, and a major boost in useful load. Now turbine singles like the Piper M700 and Daher TBM series cruise at 300 ktas, leaving twins in the dust while also beating them in reliability. Turboprops also let pilots skip the arduous training and check ride for a multi-engine rating.

Nice theory, but I still see the appeal of light twins and continue to dream of flying one someday on long cross-country journeys. There is something special about harnessing two engines to one airframe, especially when a single engine would do the job just fine. The feel of two throttle levers in your hand, the rush of sound and acceleration when you push them forward and the haste with which a high-performance twin rises from the runway are uniquely satisfying.

The aircraft for sale today is waiting to treat a new owner to those sensations, which come only with a surplus of horsepower. On the practical side, the redundancy of two engines takes much of the worry out of flying long distances over water or mountainous terrain.

The Baron’s handsome profile helped it stand out on the ramp. [Credit: Carolina Aircraft]

This 1965 Baron B55 has 4,060 hours on the airframe. Its 260 hp Continental IO-470-L engines have logged 365 hours since overhaul on the left side and 265 hours since overhaul on the right, and there are 265 hours since overhaul on its Hartzell three-blade, anti-ice propellers. The engines are equipped with GAMI fuel injectors. The aircraft carries 136 gallons of usable fuel and has a useful load of 1,769 pounds.

The panel includes an Avidyne IFD-540 color FMS/GPS/nav/com with WAAS, Garmin GTR 225 com radio, Avidyne AXP-322 remote transponder with ADS-B, Avidyne Skytrax 100B ADS-B In receiver, ADS-B traffic and weather, GMA 340 audio panel, King KN 64 DME, JPI EDM 760 engine monitor, and S-TEC 60-2 autopilot with altitude hold and vertical speed.

Additional equipment includes vortex generators, C&D cabin heater, six-place intercom, three-light strobe system, electric pitch trim, alternate static system, and external power receptacle.

Pilots interested in a high-performance aircraft with the added muscle and security of two engines should consider this 1965 Beechcraft Baron B55, which is available for $159,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.