Beechcraft King Air 260 vs Beechcraft King Air 360 vs Beechcraft King Air 360er vs Cessna Grand Caravan Ex vs Daher Tbm 960 vs Pilatus Pc 12 Ngx vs Piper M600 Sls
All seven are pressurized turboprops, but they split into two broad categories: light twin‑engine utility aircraft and higher‑speed single‑engine business aircraft, plus one unpressurized utility single. The Beechcraft King Air 260 is a light twin in the King Air line with mid‑to‑upper‑1000‑nm class range and typically seats about 6–9 passengers in executive layouts. The King Air 360 is a larger, more capable twin with a similar typical passenger count but more cabin volume and a longer range in the roughly 1500‑nm class. The King Air 360ER is the long‑range variant, trading some payload flexibility for extended endurance, reaching into the roughly 2000‑nm class. The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is a rugged single‑engine utility aircraft (often unpressurized) optimized for short/rough fields; it commonly carries 9–14 passengers but with shorter range, roughly around 900–1000 nm depending on load. The Daher TBM 960, Pilatus PC‑12 NGX, and Piper M600 SLS are pressurized, higher‑speed singles typically configured for about 4–8 passengers; the TBM emphasizes speed with about 1500+ nm range, the PC‑12 balances cabin/payload with similar range, and the M600 targets owner‑pilots with roughly 1200–1400 nm range.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 260 | Beechcraft King Air 360 | Beechcraft King Air 360ER | Cessna Grand Caravan EX | Daher TBM 960 | Pilatus PC-12 NGX | Piper M600 SLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.30 | $ 4.20 | $ 4.37 | $ 3.15 | $ 2.25 | $ 2.78 | $ 2.19 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Beechcraft | Beechcraft | Cessna | Daher TBM | Pilatus | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 250 | KingAir 350i | KingAir 350ER | Grand Caravan EX | TBM 960 | PC-12 NGX | M600 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1420 | 1560 | 2338 | 964 | 1730 | 1803 | 1406 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.72 | $ 0.53 | $ 0.55 | $ 0.39 | $ 0.56 | $ 0.46 | $ 0.55 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 9 | 9 | 12 | — | 9 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3760 | 5145 | 6585 | 3332 | 2908 | — | 2200 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,333 | $ 1,311 | $ 1,324 | $ 614 | $ 744 | $ 793 | $ 603 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G3000 | Honeywell Primus Apex | Garmin G3000 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 310 | 312 | 303 | 195 | 330 | 290 | 274 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,450,000 | $7,650,000 | $8,750,000 | $2,695,000 | $4,450,000 | $5,350,000 | $3,081,400 |
| Aircraft Type | — | — | — | — | Turbo Prop | — | — |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | 1 Flushing | Optional | Yes (Belted Optional) | No | No | Optional | No |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 9 | 9 | 12 | — | 9 | — |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | AFT | AFT | — | — | FWD | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | Un-Pressurized | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| Galley / Refreshment | No | Optional | Refreshment Center | No | — | No | Refreshment Centre |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | 15293 | — | — | — | 14390 | 13100 | 12600 |
| Galley Location | — | FWD | FWD | — | MID | — | MID |
| Cargo Door | — | — | Optional | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8644 |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | PT6A-52 | PT6A-60A | PT6A-60A | PT6A-140 | TBM 960 | PT6E-67XP | PT6A-42A |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | 3600 | 3600 | 4000 | 3500 | 5000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 850 | 1050 | 1050 | 867 | 850 | 1200 | 600 |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 37 | ISA + 10 | ISA + 10 | ISA + 24 | ISA + 49 | ISA + 35 | ISA + 55 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 544 | 539 | 775 | 335 | — | — | 260 |
| Usable Fuel (gal) | — | — | — | — | — | 402 | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 43.8 | 46.7 | 46.7 | 41.6 | 35.3 | 47.25 | 29.7 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 57.9 | 57.9 | 52.1 | 42.1 | 53.33 | 43.2 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 4 | 5 | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 16.7 | 19.5 | 19.5 | 16.8 | 13.4 | 16.9 | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.8 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 15.1 | — | 14 | 11.3 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 | — | — | 4.25 | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 16.7 | 19.5 | 19.5 | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 55 | 71 | 71 | 32 | — | 40 | 20 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | 123 | — | 165 |