Beechcraft King Air 360 vs Cessna Grand Caravan Ex vs Md Helicopters Md 530f vs Pilatus Pc 12 Ngx vs Pilatus Pc 24
The Beechcraft King Air 360 and Pilatus PC-12 NGX are pressurized twin‑ and single‑turboprop business aircraft, respectively, typically used for executive and regional missions. Both offer long legs in the roughly 1,500–1,800+ nautical mile class and usually seat about 6–9 passengers in comfort, with the King Air emphasizing twin‑engine redundancy and the PC‑12 emphasizing efficiency and payload flexibility. The Cessna Grand Caravan EX is a rugged, unpressurized utility turboprop aimed at short/rough-field and cargo work; it commonly carries about 9–14 passengers and has a shorter, regional range generally around 900–1,200 nautical miles depending on load. The Pilatus PC‑24 is a light twin‑jet positioned above these in speed and typical mission profile; it generally offers about 1,800–2,000+ nautical miles of range and seats around 6–10 in a corporate layout. The MD Helicopters MD 530F is a light single‑engine helicopter for utility, patrol, and training; it carries about 4–5 occupants and has far shorter range, typically only a few hundred nautical miles.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 360 | Cessna Grand Caravan EX | MD Helicopters MD 530F | Pilatus PC-12 NGX | Pilatus PC-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.20 | $ 3.15 | $ 3.59 | $ 2.78 | $ 3.71 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | VFR | VFR | IFR | — |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Cessna | MD Helicotpers | Pilatus | Pilatus |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 350i | Grand Caravan EX | MD 530F | PC-12 NGX | PC-24 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1560 | 964 | 216 | 1803 | 2076 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.53 | $ 0.39 | $ 0.90 | $ 0.46 | $ 0.62 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 5145 | 3332 | 1509 | — | 6680 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,311 | $ 614 | $ 480 | $ 793 | $ 1,619 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G500H | Honeywell Primus Apex | Pilatus ACE (Primus Apex) |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 312 | 195 | 134 | 290 | 440 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $7,650,000 | $2,695,000 | $ 3,400,000 | $5,350,000 | $11,800,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | Optional | No | — | Optional | 1 Enclosed Flushing |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
| Galley Location | FWD | — | — | — | FWD |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | — | — | FWD | FWD |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | Un-Pressurized | — | 5.8 | 9.3 |
| Galley / Refreshment | Optional | No | — | No | Optional Refreshment Center |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Cargo Door | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | 13100 | 23500 |
| Crew Rest | — | — | — | — | No |
| Jump Seat | — | — | — | — | No |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Model | PT6A-60A | PT6A-140 | 250-C30 | PT6E-67XP | FJ44-4A-QPM |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | 4000 | 2000 | 5000 | 5000 |
| Horsepower | 1050 | 867 | 650 | 1200 | — |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 10 | ISA + 24 | — | ISA + 35 | ISA + 23 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 539 | 335 | 64 | — | — |
| Fuel Type | — | — | JetFuel | — | — |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 35 | — | — |
| Usable Fuel (gal) | — | — | — | 402 | — |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | — | — | — | 3435 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 46.7 | 41.6 | 32.2 | 47.25 | 52.2 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 52.1 | — | 53.33 | 55.8 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 5.4 | — | 5 | 5.6 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 4.5 | — | 4.9 | 5.1 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 19.5 | 16.8 | — | 16.9 | 23 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.4 | 15.1 | 8.7 | 14 | 17.4 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | — | — | 4.25 | 3.8 |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 19.5 | — | — | — | 17 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 71 | 32 | — | 40 | 90 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | — | — | 27.5 | — | — |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | — | — | — | Flat Floor |