Beechcraft King Air 360 vs Bombardier Challenger 3500 vs Bombardier Challenger 650 vs Cessna Grand Caravan Ex vs Cessna Skycourier vs Embraer Praetor 600 vs Gulfstream G280
The Beechcraft King Air 360 is a twin‑turboprop business aircraft in the light/entry executive category, typically carrying about 6–9 passengers with an approximate range around 1,500–1,800 nautical miles. The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is a single‑turboprop utility aircraft, usually 9–14 passengers depending on configuration, with roughly 900–1,000 nautical miles of range. The Cessna SkyCourier is a twin‑turboprop utility/freighter (often 19 passengers in commuter layout) with about 900–1,200 nautical miles of range. Stepping into midsize and super‑midsize jets, the Gulfstream G280 and Embraer Praetor 600 are super‑midsize business jets, commonly seating about 8–10, with ranges roughly 3,600–3,900 nautical miles. The Bombardier Challenger 3500 is also in the super‑midsize class, typically 8–10 passengers, with about 3,400 nautical miles of range. At the larger end, the Bombardier Challenger 650 is a large‑cabin business jet, generally 10–12 passengers, offering approximately 4,000 nautical miles of range.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 360 | Bombardier Challenger 3500 | Bombardier Challenger 650 | Cessna Grand Caravan EX | Cessna SkyCourier | Embraer Praetor 600 | Gulfstream G280 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.20 | $ 6.71 | $ 7.16 | $ 3.15 | — | $ 6.74 | $ 6.57 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 10 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | — | VFR | IFR | — | — |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Bombardier | Bombardier | Cessna | Cessna | Embraer | Gulfstream |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 350i | Challenger 3500 | Challenger 650 | Grand Caravan EX | SkyCourier | Praetor 600 | G280 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1560 | 3400 | 4085 | 964 | 900 | 4018 | 3600 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.53 | $ 0.84 | $ 0.80 | $ 0.39 | — | $ 0.84 | $ 0.82 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 12 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 5145 | 15950 | 21050 | 3332 | — | — | 15550 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 8 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,311 | $ 3,152 | $ 3,365 | $ 614 | — | $ 3,141 | $ 3,168 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Advanced | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Advanced | Garmin G1000 NXi | Gyro / Analog | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Gulfstream PlaneView (Pro Line Fusion) |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 312 | 533 | 470 | 195 | 200 | 542 | 481 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $7,650,000 | $26,950,000 | $32,400,000 | $2,695,000 | $7,375,000 | $20,995,000 | $24,900,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | Optional | 1 Enclosed Flushing | 2 Enclosed Flushing | No | No | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing |
| Min Crew | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 10 | 10 |
| Galley Location | FWD | FWD | FWD | — | — | FWD | FWD |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 12 | 10 |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | AFT | FWD / AFT | — | — | AFT | AFT |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | 8.8 | 8.8 | Un-Pressurized | Un-Pressurized | 9.7 | 9.2 |
| Galley / Refreshment | Optional | Galley | Galley | No | No | Galley | Galley |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 8 |
| Crew Rest | — | No | Yes | — | — | No | No |
| Jump Seat | — | Yes | Yes | — | — | No | No |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 23338 | 23000 | — | — | 27140 | 25000 |
| Cargo Door | — | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Connectivity | — | — | — | — | — | Gogo AVANCE L5 | — |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 5800 | 5800 |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | PT6A-60A | HTF73500 | CF34-3B MTO | PT6A-140 | PT6A-65SC | HTF7500E | HTF7250G |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | On-Condition | On-Condition | 4000 | 6000 | On-Condition | On-Condition |
| Horsepower | 1050 | — | — | 867 | 1100 | — | — |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 10 | ISA + 15 | ISA + 15 | ISA + 24 | — | ISA + 18 | ISA + 17 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 539 | — | — | 335 | — | 1963 | — |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 7323 | 9220 | — | — | 7528 | 7624 |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 46.7 | 68.7 | 68.4 | 41.6 | 54.9 | 68.1 | 66.9 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 69 | 64.4 | 52.1 | 72 | 70.5 | 63 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 5.4 | — | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 6 | 6 | 4.5 | — | 6 | 6.3 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 19.5 | 25.2 | 25.6 | 16.8 | — | 24.1 | 25.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.4 | 20 | 20.7 | 15.1 | 19.8 | 21 | 21.4 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.9 | — | — | 4.7 | 5.4 |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 19.5 | 16.6 | 15.4 | — | — | 21.3 | 17.7 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 71 | 106 | 112 | 32 | — | 45 | 154 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | Flat Floor | Flat Floor | — | — | Flat Floor | 0.3 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 110 | — |