Beechcraft Premier I/IA: how 141 jets are really flown
The busiest 5% made more than 27 flights a month and the quietest 5% fewer than 3: over nine times as many, on the same type.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 26% or more; the easier end near none.
The hardest-worked 5% log 27 flights a month or more; the easiest-used, 3 or less. The middle aircraft sits at 7.
The harder end, one aircraft in twenty, is at 10 h or more; the easier end at 2 h or less.
Fatigue
What each landing and pressurization cycle costs the structure: landings per hour and short hops.
The middle Premier I flies 1.2 hours for every landing. One in twenty lands every 0.9 hours or sooner, the most cycles for its time.
Middle half 1.0–1.3 : 1Harder end: 5% at 0.9 : 1 or lessEasier end: 5% at 1.6 : 1 or more
Middle half 34–58%Harder end: 5% at 71% or moreEasier end: 5% at 19% or less
Middle half 258–410 nmLowest 5%: 169 nm or lessHighest 5%: 592 nm or more
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Spread of trip lengths
All 141 Premier IsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 141 North American Premier Is, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Hours per landing Each aircraft’s average flight hours per landing | 1.2 : 1 | 1.0–1.3 : 1 |
| Short hops Share of legs under 300 nm | 46% | 34–58% |
| Leg length Median leg | 330 nm | 258–410 nm |
Corrosion
What the air around it does overnight: salt, damp and freeze–thaw.
The middle Premier I spends 0% of its nights within 2 km of the coast. One in twenty spends 89% or more of them there.
Middle half 0–2%Harder end: 5% at 89% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 2.8–7.5 hHarder end: 5% at 10.6 h or moreEasier end: 5% at 1.8 h or less
Middle half 1–16%Harder end: 5% at 28% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Salt air across the fleet
81 Premier IsThe data behind it
Every measure for the 81 of the 141 North American Premier Is with enough nights at known fields, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (2 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Salt air Nights within 2 km of the coast | 0% | 0–2% |
| Near the coast Nights within 10 km of the coast | 3% | 1–7% |
| Damp air Hours a day at 80% humidity or more, above freezing | 5.7 h | 2.8–7.5 h |
| Freeze–thaw Nights that froze and thawed within the day | 3% | 1–16% |
| Moisture in the air Average absolute humidity overnight | 8.2 g/m³ | 6.5–10.3 g/m³ |
Engines and brakes
What departures ask of engines, brakes and tires: heat and height, and runway length.
The middle Premier I leaves from a short runway on 3% of its departures. One in twenty does on 13% or more.
Middle half 0–5%Harder end: 5% at 13% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 0–13%Harder end: 5% at 26% or moreEasier end: 5% at -0%
Middle half 1,511–2,438 ftHarder end: 5% at 3,628 ft or moreEasier end: 5% at 1,077 ft or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Runway margin at departure
10,266 departuresThe data behind it
Every measure for the 141 North American Premier Is, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026 (1 on their record since 1 Jan 2025: too few departures in the 12 months).| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Short runways Departures where the longest runway was under 1.25× the takeoff distance | 3% | 0–5% |
| Hot, high takeoffs Departures at 5,000 ft density altitude or more | 6% | 0–13% |
| Density altitude Typical density altitude at takeoff | 1,800 ft | 1,511–2,438 ft |
Utilization
How steadily the fleet is used: flights, flying days and estimated hours.
The middle Premier I made 7 flights a month. The busiest 5% made 27 or more, the quietest 3 or fewer.
Middle half 4.8–9.6Harder end: 5% at 27.9 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.8 or less
Middle half 3.2–5.9Harder end: 5% at 12.8 or moreEasier end: 5% at 2.3 or less
Middle half 72–146 hHarder end: 5% at ≈358 h or moreEasier end: 5% at ≈45 h or less
Context, not graded: the tint marks the harder and easier end of the fleet.
Month by month
12 monthsMedian flights per aircraft that flew that month · darker bar is the busiest month, May 2026
The data behind it
Every measure for the 80 of the 141 North American Premier Is with at least 40% of their flights tracked, 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026.| Measure | Fleet median | Middle half |
|---|---|---|
| Flights a month In the months it flew | 6.6 | 4.8–9.6 |
| Days flown a month Days with at least one flight | 4.3 | 3.2–5.9 |
| Estimated hours a year From time in the air | ≈95 h | 72–146 h |
Buying, selling or financing a Premier I?
See where your Premier I sits in the fleet.
Enter a tail number to place it against these 141 aircraft. TailCheck grades it on Fatigue, Corrosion, Engines and brakes, and Utilization, with every percentile shown.
Where Premier Is are based and fly
Scottsdale is home to more Premier Is than any other field, 8 of the 112 with a home base.
Henderson–Scottsdale is the busiest route: 114 flights by 15 different aircraft.
Where Premier Is are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Scottsdale | 8 | |
| Henderson | 7 | |
| Blue Grass | 5 | |
| Joe Foss | 3 | |
| Fort Worth Spinks | 3 | |
| Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker | 2 |
Busiest Premier I routes
| Between | Flights |
|---|---|
| Henderson ⇄ Scottsdale | 114 flights |
| Henderson ⇄ John Wayne | 99 |
| Henderson ⇄ Van Nuys | 60 |
| Scottsdale ⇄ John Wayne | 56 |
| McCarran ⇄ Scottsdale | 52 |
| Burbank Bob Hope ⇄ Henderson | 51 |
Longest Premier I flights
| Between | Distance · time |
|---|---|
| Tradewind → Raleigh-Durham | 1,124 nm · 3 h 24 min |
| Scottsdale → Louis Armstrong New Orleans | 1,124 nm · 3 h 28 min |
| Cessna Aircraft → Republic | 1,121 nm · 3 h 44 min |
| Miami → Colonel James Jabara | 1,121 nm · 3 h 10 min |
| Lee's Summit → Portland Jetport | 1,117 nm · 2 h 54 min |
Busiest Premier Is this year
The busiest Premier I made 47 flights a month, six times the middle aircraft.
Even the tenth on this list made 16.
Ranked by flights a month · updated monthly
| # | Tail | Base | Flights a month | Estimated hours a year | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N22VK | Henderson | 47 | 591 h | Check this tail → |
| 2 | N199RM | Henderson | 40 | 472 h | Check this tail → |
| 3 | N390ML | Henderson | 36 | 413 h | Check this tail → |
| 4 | N969RE | Henderson | 30 | 319 h | Check this tail → |
| 5 | N88MM | Scottsdale | 28 | 412 h | Check this tail → |
| 6 | N368CS | Henderson | 24 | 356 h | Check this tail → |
| 7 | N92SH | Scottsdale | 21 | 258 h | Check this tail → |
| 8 | N145JS | Henderson | 19 | 245 h | Check this tail → |
| 9 | N40JD | Scottsdale | 19 | 228 h | Check this tail → |
| 10 | N372BW | — | 16 | 234 h | Check this tail → |
Premier I vs other aircraft of its size
Medians for each North American fleet, same window and method.
| Type | Tracked | Flights a month | Hours a year | Median leg | Hours per landing | Short hops |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft Premier I/IA | 141 | 6.6 | 95 h | 330 nm | 1.2 : 1 | 46% |
| Cessna Citation CJ2 | 483 | 5.0 | 74 h | 288 nm | 1.2 : 1 | 52% |
Premier I vs Premier IA: on paper
One page covers both models: the tracking data doesn’t tell them apart.
Certified figures come from the type certificate data sheet. We don’t have a manufacturer source for the Beechcraft Premier I/IA yet, so its manufacturer rows show a dash.
| Measure | Premier I | Premier IA | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum takeoff weight (certified) | 12,500 lb | 12,500 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.073 Issue 02, p.7 |
| Maximum ramp weight (certified) | 12,591 lb | 12,591 lb | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.073 Issue 02, p.7 |
| Fuel capacity, US gallons (certified) | 539–548 US gal | 539–548 US gal | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.073 Issue 02, p.6 — 539 US gal (gravity fill) · 547.8 US gal (gravity fill, S/N RB-75 and after or Kit No. 390-9200) |
| Passengers | Up to 6 certified | Up to 6 certified | EASA TCDS EASA.IM.A.073 Issue 02, p.7 |
| Range (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
| Takeoff distance (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
| High-speed cruise (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
| Length (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
| Wingspan (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
| Height (manufacturer) | — | — | No manufacturer source yet |
Chartering a Premier I
32 of the 141 North American Premier Is we track are on our charter list (23%).
Where charter Premier Is are based
| Field | Share | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Henderson | 5 | |
| Scottsdale | 5 | |
| Abilene | 1 | |
| Boca Raton | 1 | |
| Bismarck | 1 | |
| Burke Lakefront | 1 |
Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft; aircraft flown by a fractional program (NetJets, Flexjet and the like) are counted as fractional, not charter. No charter rates: prices depend on the operator and the trip. Check a specific aircraft’s record with its tail number before you book.
Premier I questions
How many hours a year does a Premier I/IA fly?
The median North American Premier I/IA flies about 95 estimated hours a year; the middle half sits between 72 and 146. About 1 in 20 flies more than 358.
How often does a Premier I/IA fly?
7 flights a month on 4 flying days at the median. About 1 in 20 makes more than 27 flights a month.
How long is a typical Premier I/IA flight?
The median leg is 330 nm. About 1 in 20 aircraft average more than 592 nm a leg.
How often do Premier I/IA aircraft use short runways?
At the median, 3% of departures are from fields whose longest runway is under 1.25 times the type’s takeoff distance. About 1 in 20 keep it to -0% or less.
Is a high-hours Premier I/IA a bad buy?
Not by itself. High hours on long legs are gentler on the structure than the same hours on short hops. Look at hours per landing and short-hop share alongside hours.
Where are most Premier I/IA aircraft based?
In North America, Scottsdale is home to the most, followed by Henderson and Blue Grass. A base is the field an aircraft touches on most of its flying days, month after month.
Cite this data
The Aircraft Ledger. “Beechcraft Premier I/IA fleet statistics.” Data to 31 July 2026. theaircraftledger.com/aircraft/beechcraft/premier-i-ia
Embed a chart
<iframe src="https://theaircraftledger.com/embed/fleet/beechcraft-premier-i-ia/fatigue" title="Fatigue" width="100%" height="1180" style="border:0;max-width:960px" loading="lazy"></iframe>Method: Beechcraft Premier I/IA aircraft with most departures in North America and at least 20 tracked flights in the latest twelve full months. Flight measures, bases, routes and rankings use ADS-B tracking 1 Aug 2025 – 31 Jul 2026; corrosion and engines-and-brakes exposure use the same twelve months, or an aircraft’s record since 1 Jan 2025 when it had too few nights or departures in them. Estimated hours from time in the air. Tracking misses some flights, so counts and hours are minimums. ADS-B coverage grew over the window, so we don’t compare one year with the last. Tracking can’t tell one variant from another; the variant split, the busiest table’s variants and the age table use the FAA registry, so they cover US-registered aircraft only. We assume the longest runway at each field, so short-runway figures are conservative. Short-runway figures use the manufacturer’s published takeoff distance where our sources hold one for every variant (the longest, where tracking can’t tell variants apart), and a reference figure otherwise. Corrosion measures cover the aircraft we can place on enough nights, some over the longer window when the twelve months had too few. Charter status is our own list, built from FAA records and public listings of charter aircraft; aircraft flown by a fractional program (NetJets, Flexjet and the like) are counted as fractional, not charter. About our data