Beechcraft King Air 260 vs Cessna Citation M2 vs Piper M350 vs Piper M500
The Beechcraft King Air 260 is a twin‑turboprop business aircraft optimized for short and unimproved runways, typically offering about 1,700–1,900 nm of range and usually seating 6–9 passengers depending on cabin layout. The Cessna Citation M2 is a light twin‑jet aimed at faster point‑to‑point travel, commonly providing roughly 1,200–1,550 nm of range with typical seating for 5–7 passengers. The Piper M350 is a pressurized single‑engine piston aircraft focused on owner‑pilots and efficient regional trips, generally delivering about 1,200–1,400 nm of range and typically seating 5–6 passengers. The Piper M500 is a pressurized single‑engine turboprop positioned between piston singles and larger twin turboprops, usually offering around 1,000–1,200 nm of range with typical seating for 5–6 passengers. In broad terms, the King Air 260 emphasizes payload, cabin flexibility, and runway versatility; the Citation M2 emphasizes speed; the M350 emphasizes lower operating costs; and the M500 emphasizes turboprop performance with simplified single‑engine operations.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 260 | Cessna Citation M2 | Piper M350 | Piper M500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.30 | $ 3.45 | $ 1.34 | $ 3.11 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Cessna Citation | Piper | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 250 | M2 | M350 | M500 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1420 | 1400 | 1343 | 1000 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.72 | $ 0.58 | $ 0.22 | $ 0.78 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 7 | — | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3760 | 3810 | 1308 | 1698 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,333 | $ 1,395 | $ 285 | $ 579 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Garmin G3000 | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 310 | 404 | 213 | 260 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,450,000 | $5,150,000 | $1,195,000 | $2,122,600 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | 1 Flushing | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | — | No |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 8 | 7 | — | — |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | AFT | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | 8.5 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
| Galley / Refreshment | No | No | — | Refreshment Centre |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | 15293 | 22027 | — | 12600 |
| Crew Rest | — | No | — | — |
| Jump Seat | — | No | — | — |
| Galley Location | — | — | — | MID |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | 8244 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Model | PT6A-52 | FJ44-1AP-21 | TIO-540-AE2A | PT6A-42A |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | 3500 | 2000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 850 | — | 350 | 500 |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 37 | ISA + 7 | — | ISA + 55 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 544 | 492 | 120 | 170 |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 1965 | — | — |
| Fuel Burn (lbph) | — | 516 | — | — |
| Fuel Type | — | — | AvGas | — |
| TBO (yrs) | — | — | 12 | — |
| Fuel Delivery | — | — | Fuel Injected | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Length (ft) | 43.8 | 42.6 | 29 | 29.6 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 47.3 | 43 | 43.2 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4 | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 16.7 | 11 | 12.3 | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.8 | 14 | 11.4 | 11.3 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | 3.1 | — | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 16.7 | 8.8 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 55 | — | 20 | 20 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | 0.4 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 46 | 13 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 165 | 165 |