N22BR

N22BR is a Beech 18, a twin-engine piston aircraft operated by DAKOTA EXPRESS LLC. SkyMeter has tracked 1,080 flights totalling 1,145 hours of airtime via ADS-B. The most frequent segment is KPBI to KLNA. Service window in our records spans 386 days. Of those flights, 346 (32.0%) carry at least one detected incident — go-around, unstable approach, stall warning, or runway excursion. The Beech 18 has a 50 ft wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 9,700 lb.

About the Beech 18

The Beechcraft Model 18, universally known as the Twin Beech, stands as one of aviation's most enduring designs — a twin-engine piston workhorse that flew from 1937 through 1970 in continuous production, longer than any other American aircraft. Originally conceived as a six-to-nine-passenger business transport, the type became a military training staple during World War II (as the C-45 Expeditor and AT-11 Kansan) with over 4,500 built for the armed forces, then transitioned seamlessly into postwar civilian roles ranging from corporate shuttle to cargo hauler to aerial survey platform. Its rugged all-metal construction, reliable Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engines, and docile handling made it a favorite among bush operators, commuter airlines, and charter services across North America and beyond.

The Twin Beech's distinctive tapered fuselage, art-deco lines, and throaty radial rumble remain iconic at airshows and vintage fly-ins today. With a cruise speed around 175 knots, service ceiling near 20,000 feet, and range exceeding 1,200 nautical miles, the Model 18 offered genuine twin-engine capability in an era when most light twins were far less capable. Thousands were built across dozens of variants — from the early A18 through the Super 18 and pressurized conversions — and many remain airworthy eight decades later, testament to Beech's engineering.

SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.