Beechcraft King Air 260 vs Cessna Citation Cj4 vs Md Helicopters Md 600n vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer vs Pilatus Pc 12 Ngx
The Beechcraft King Air 260 and Pilatus PC-12 NGX are pressurized turboprop airplanes suited to short-to-medium business missions. The King Air 260 typically carries about 6–9 passengers with a range around 1,700–1,800 nautical miles, while the PC-12 NGX usually seats about 6–9 in executive layouts and is known for longer legs, roughly 1,700–1,800 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves. The Cessna Citation CJ4 is a light business jet, generally faster with a similar or slightly longer range profile, commonly around 2,000+ nautical miles, and typically carries about 6–10 passengers depending on configuration. The MD Helicopters MD 600N and MD 902 Explorer are twin-/single-engine class rotorcraft designed for vertical access rather than long-range cruise. The MD 600N is a single-engine helicopter (NOTAR) usually carrying about 5–7 passengers with typical range roughly 300–400 nautical miles. The MD 902 Explorer is a twin-engine helicopter (also NOTAR), commonly configured for about 6–8 passengers with a similar typical range around 300–400 nautical miles.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 260 | Cessna Citation CJ4 | MD Helicopters MD 600N | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer | Pilatus PC-12 NGX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.30 | $ 4.37 | $ 4.06 | $ 7.54 | $ 2.78 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Cessna Citation | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Pilatus |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 250 | CJ4 | MD 600N | MD 902 Exlplorer | PC-12 NGX |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1420 | 2170 | 341 | 317 | 1803 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.72 | $ 0.62 | $ 0.68 | $ 0.94 | $ 0.46 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3760 | 6914 | 2000 | 3125 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,333 | $ 1,970 | $ 545 | $ 988 | $ 793 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H | Honeywell Primus Apex |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 310 | 440 | 134 | 131 | 290 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,450,000 | $11,290,000 | $3,400,000 | $7,250,000 | $5,350,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | 1 Flushing | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | — | — | Optional |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | AFT | — | — | FWD |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | 9 | — | — | 5.8 |
| Galley / Refreshment | No | Galley | — | — | No |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | 15293 | 24005 | — | — | 13100 |
| Crew Rest | — | No | — | — | — |
| Jump Seat | — | No | — | — | — |
| Galley Location | — | FWD | — | — | — |
| Cargo Door | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Model | PT6A-52 | FJ44-4A | 250-C47 | PW207E | PT6E-67XP |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | 5000 | 2000 | 4000 | 5000 |
| Horsepower | 850 | — | 715 | 710 | 1200 |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 37 | ISA + 11 | — | — | ISA + 35 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 544 | 870 | 118 | 159 | — |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 3621 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Burn (lbph) | — | 757 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Type | — | — | JetFuel | JetFuel | — |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 41 | 65 | — |
| Usable Fuel (gal) | — | — | — | — | 402 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 43.8 | 53.4 | 36.9 | 40.6 | 47.25 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 50 | — | — | 53.33 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 4.8 | — | — | 5 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 4.8 | — | — | 4.9 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 16.7 | 17.2 | — | — | 16.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.8 | 15.5 | 9.7 | 12 | 14 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | 3.1 | — | — | 4.25 |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 16.7 | 14.8 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 55 | 7 | — | — | 40 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | 0.4 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 70 | — | — | — |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | — | — | 27.5 | 33.9 | — |