horizontal stabilizer out of the propeller slipstream eliminated the buffeting and the need for enlargement while adding only of weight. Additionally, the T-tail design moved the stabilizer rearward, increasing its effectiveness and giving the aircraft a broader center of gravity range. The later Piper Seminole also adopted a T-tail. Variants Model 76 Duchess Four-seat, twin-engine (Lycoming O-360), low-winged trainer with bonded aluminum construction. Model 76TC Duchess Unofficial designation for single test aircraft using turbocharged Lycoming O-360. Operators The aircraft remains popular with flight training schools. Beechcraft - Tested one Duchess to investigate its spin recovery characteristics in conjunction with NASA. National Test Pilot School - Operates one Duchess. Purdue University - Uses a Duchess modified with air sampling equipment as Airborne Laboratory Atmospheric Research (ALAR). Scaled Composites - Uses one Duchess as a test aircraft. Specifications See also References External links Duchess 1970s United States civil trainer aircraft Low-wing aircraft T-tail aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1974 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft