Beechcraft Baron G58 vs Cessna 172 Skyhawk vs Cessna Caravan vs Cessna Skycourier vs Daher Tbm 960 vs Piper M350
The Beechcraft Baron G58 is a piston twin in the personal/corporate category, typically carrying about 4–6 people with a range around 1,000–1,300 nm. The Cessna Skyhawk (172) is a basic single‑engine piston trainer/personal aircraft, usually 3–4 aboard, with roughly 600–800 nm range. The Piper M350 is a pressurized single‑engine piston for owner‑pilots, commonly 4–6 seats, with about 1,000–1,300 nm range. The Daher TBM 960 is a high‑performance single‑engine turboprop for business travel, generally seating 4–6 (up to about 7–8 depending on configuration) with approximately 1,400–1,700 nm range. The Cessna Caravan is a utility turboprop for regional passenger/cargo work, often 9–14 passengers, with about 900–1,200 nm range. The Cessna SkyCourier is a larger twin‑turboprop commuter/freighter, typically 19 passengers (or cargo), with roughly 900–1,200 nm range, optimized more for payload and short regional legs than maximum range.
| Spec | Beechcraft Baron G58 | Cessna Skyhawk | Cessna Caravan | Cessna SkyCourier | Daher TBM 960 | Piper M350 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 1.72 | $ 0.95 | $ 3.07 | — | $ 2.25 | $ 1.34 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 6 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | VFR | VFR | IFR | IFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Cessna | Cessna | Cessna | Daher TBM | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | Baron G58 | 172 Skyhawk | Caravan | SkyCourier | TBM 960 | M350 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1480 | 640 | 1070 | 900 | 1730 | 1343 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.29 | $ 0.24 | $ 0.38 | — | $ 0.56 | $ 0.22 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 1450 | — | 3305 | — | 2908 | 1308 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | — | 8 | 19 | 4 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 347 | $ 118 | $ 571 | — | $ 744 | $ 285 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G3000 | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 202 | 124 | 186 | 200 | 330 | 213 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $1,495,000 | $415,000 | $2,355,000 | $7,375,000 | $4,450,000 | $1,195,000 |
| Min Crew | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | — | 9 | 19 | — | — |
| Aircraft Type | — | — | — | — | Turbo Prop | — |
| Cabin | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 6 | 6 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | — | 8 | 19 | 4 | 4 |
| Lavatory | — | — | No | No | No | — |
| Min Crew | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Cargo Door | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | — | 9 | 19 | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | — | Un-Pressurized | Un-Pressurized | 6.2 | 5.6 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | No | No | — | — |
| Galley Location | — | — | — | — | MID | — |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | — | 14390 | — |
| Engine | ||||||
| FADEC | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | IO-550-C | IO-360-L2A | PT6A-114A | PT6A-65SC | TBM 960 | TIO-540-AE2A |
| Fuel Type | AvGas | AvGas | — | — | — | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 1700 | 2000 | 3600 | 6000 | 3500 | 2000 |
| TBO (yrs) | 12 | 12 | — | — | — | 12 |
| Horsepower | 300 | 200 | 675 | 1100 | 850 | 350 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | — | — | — | Fuel Injected |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 194 | 42 | — | — | — | 120 |
| Flat Rating | — | — | ISA + 31 | — | ISA + 49 | — |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Length (ft) | 29.9 | 27.2 | 37.6 | 54.9 | 35.3 | 29 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 37.9 | 36.1 | 52.1 | 72 | 42.1 | 43 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 3.5 | 3.4 | 5.4 | — | 4 | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.2 | 4 | 4.5 | — | 4.1 | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 12.6 | 11.9 | 12.8 | — | 13.4 | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 9.8 | 9 | 15 | 19.8 | — | 11.4 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 150 | — | — | — | 123 | 165 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 46 | 30 | 32 | — | — | 20 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 13 |