Beechcraft Bonanza G36 vs Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair vs Piper M350 vs Piper Seminole vs Piper Seneca
The Beechcraft Bonanza G36 is a high-performance, normally aspirated single-engine piston aircraft in the premium personal-transport category. It typically carries 4–6 people depending on loading and has a solid cross-country range that often lands around the mid-hundreds of nautical miles, with endurance influenced heavily by speed-versus-fuel planning. The Cessna Turbo Stationair is a turbocharged single-engine piston utility platform, valued for hauling and high-altitude capability. It’s commonly configured for up to 6 seats and tends to offer similar or somewhat better practical range than many high-performance singles when flown conservatively, while trading some cruise speed for payload flexibility. The Piper M350 is a pressurized, turbocharged single-engine piston designed for higher-altitude, all-weather travel. It’s typically a 5–6 seat aircraft with strong range for its class, often among the best of these singles in real-world cross-country use. The Piper Arrow is a retractable-gear, normally aspirated single-engine piston in the step-up/training-and-travel niche, usually seating 4 with shorter-to-moderate range compared with the larger, faster touring singles. The Piper Seneca is a light twin-engine piston aimed at redundancy and load flexibility. It generally seats 5–7 and offers competitive range, though it often sacrifices some efficiency versus the best singles.
| Spec | Beechcraft Bonanza G36 | Cessna Turbo Stationair | Piper M350 | Piper Arrow | Piper Seneca |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 1.16 | $ 1.08 | $ 1.34 | $ 1.36 | $ 1.69 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Cessna | Piper | Piper | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | Bonanza G36 | 206 Turbo Stationair | M350 | Arrow | Seneca |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 920 | 703 | 1343 | 700 | 828 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.19 | $ 0.18 | $ 0.22 | $ 0.23 | $ 0.28 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 1050 | — | 1308 | 1191 | 1331 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 204 | $ 174 | $ 285 | $ 221 | $ 337 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 176 | 161 | 213 | 162 | 200 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $925,000 | $745,000 | $1,195,000 | $765,000 | $1,095,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | — | 5.6 | — | — |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | No | No | No | No | No |
| Model | IO-550-B | TIO-540-AJ1A | TIO-540-AE2A | O-360-AIH6 | TSIO-360-RB |
| Fuel Type | AvGas | AvGas | AvGas | AvGas | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 1700 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | 1800 |
| TBO (yrs) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | — |
| Horsepower | 300 | 350 | 350 | 180 | 220 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | Carbureted | Fuel Injected |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 74 | 87 | 120 | 108 | 122 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 27.5 | 28.3 | 29 | 27.6 | 28.6 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 33.5 | 36 | 43 | 38.6 | 39 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 12.6 | 12.1 | 12.3 | — | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 8.6 | 9.4 | 11.4 | 8.5 | 10 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 100 | — | 165 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 10 | 11 | 20 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 13 | — | — |