Beechcraft King Air 360er vs Daher Tbm 960 vs Pilatus Pc 12 Ngx vs Piper M500 vs Piper M600 Sls
By category, the Beechcraft King Air 360ER is a twin‑engine turboprop in the light/medium utility class, optimized for redundancy, short/rough-field capability, and flexible mission profiles. The Daher TBM 960 is a high‑performance single‑engine turboprop (SET) focused on speed and owner‑pilot efficiency. The Pilatus PC‑12 NGX is a large-cabin single‑engine utility turboprop emphasizing payload, cabin volume, and unimproved‑runway versatility. The Piper M500 and M600 SLS are pressurized single‑engine turboprops positioned as owner‑pilot personal/business aircraft, with the M600 SLS being the higher‑end, higher‑performance offering. On range, the King Air 360ER generally leads the group (ER mission depending), with the TBM 960 and PC‑12 NGX typically close behind in the long‑range SET class, while the M600 SLS is competitive but usually shorter‑legged than TBM/PC‑12, and the M500 is typically the shortest-range of the five. On passenger capacity, the PC‑12 NGX and King Air 360ER commonly accommodate the most (often up to about 8–9 depending on configuration), the TBM 960 typically seats around 4–6 plus pilot, and the M500/M600 SLS generally seat about 5–6 including pilot.
| Spec | Beechcraft King Air 360ER | Daher TBM 960 | Pilatus PC-12 NGX | Piper M500 | Piper M600 SLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.37 | $ 2.25 | $ 2.78 | $ 3.11 | $ 2.19 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Beechcraft | Daher TBM | Pilatus | Piper | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | KingAir 350ER | TBM 960 | PC-12 NGX | M500 | M600 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 2338 | 1730 | 1803 | 1000 | 1406 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.55 | $ 0.56 | $ 0.46 | $ 0.78 | $ 0.55 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | — | 9 | — | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6585 | 2908 | — | 1698 | 2200 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,324 | $ 744 | $ 793 | $ 579 | $ 603 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion | Garmin G3000 | Honeywell Primus Apex | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G3000 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 303 | 330 | 290 | 260 | 274 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $8,750,000 | $4,450,000 | $5,350,000 | $2,122,600 | $3,081,400 |
| Aircraft Type | — | Turbo Prop | — | — | — |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | Yes (Belted Optional) | No | Optional | No | No |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Cargo Door | Optional | — | Yes | — | — |
| Total Seats | 10 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| Galley Location | FWD | MID | — | MID | MID |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | — | 9 | — | — |
| Lavatory Location | AFT | — | FWD | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | 6.5 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| Galley / Refreshment | Refreshment Center | — | No | Refreshment Centre | Refreshment Centre |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 14390 | 13100 | 12600 | 12600 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | 8244 | 8644 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Model | PT6A-60A | TBM 960 | PT6E-67XP | PT6A-42A | PT6A-42A |
| TBO (hrs) | 3600 | 3500 | 5000 | 3600 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1050 | 850 | 1200 | 500 | 600 |
| Flat Rating | ISA + 10 | ISA + 49 | ISA + 35 | ISA + 55 | ISA + 55 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 775 | — | — | 170 | 260 |
| Usable Fuel (gal) | — | — | 402 | — | — |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 46.7 | 35.3 | 47.25 | 29.6 | 29.7 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 57.9 | 42.1 | 53.33 | 43.2 | 43.2 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.5 | 4 | 5 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4 | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 19.5 | 13.4 | 16.9 | 12.3 | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 14.4 | — | 14 | 11.3 | 11.3 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | 4.1 | — | 4.25 | — | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | 19.5 | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 71 | — | 40 | 20 | 20 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 123 | — | 165 | 165 |