Cesna Citationm2 vs Diamond Aircraft Da42 Vi vs Diamond Aircraft Da62 vs Piper M500
The Diamond DA42 VI is a light twin designed primarily for efficient personal travel, training, and surveillance roles. It typically carries four people (with baggage, depending on fuel and mission) and offers solid cross-country capability, with a range commonly around 1,000–1,200 nautical miles in long-range cruise planning. The Diamond DA62 sits a class up as a larger, more family- and business-oriented twin. It is built around six-seat capacity (often configurable), providing more cabin space and payload flexibility than the DA42 while maintaining efficient diesel-twin operating economics. Its typical planning range is in a similar ballpark or slightly higher than the DA42, often around 1,100–1,300 nautical miles depending on configuration and power settings. The Piper M500 is a pressurized, single-engine turboprop positioned for higher-speed personal and business transportation. It generally seats five to six, and while its range is often comparable to the DA62 (roughly around 1,000–1,300 nautical miles), it distinguishes itself with greater cruise speed, pressurization for higher-altitude comfort, and turboprop performance, trading the redundancy of a twin for simplicity and speed.
| Spec | Diamond Aircraft DA42 VI | Diamond Aircraft DA62 | Piper M500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||
| DOC / nm | $ 1.11 | $ 1.18 | $ 3.11 |
| Total Seats | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Diamond Aircraft | Diamond Aircraft | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | DA42 VI | DA62 | M500 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 1273 | 1283 | 1000 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.28 | $ 0.24 | $ 0.78 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 1298 | 1565 | 1698 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 211 | $ 225 | $ 579 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 190 | 190 | 260 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $869,000 | $1,290,000 | $2,122,600 |
| Cockpit | — | 2 | 2 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 5 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | 3 | 4 |
| Min Crew | — | — | 1 |
| Cabin | |||
| Total Seats | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Cockpit | — | 2 | 2 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 5 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | 3 | 4 |
| Lavatory | — | — | No |
| Min Crew | — | — | 1 |
| Galley Location | — | — | MID |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | — | 5.5 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | Refreshment Centre |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 12600 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 8244 |
| Engine | |||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | AE300 | AE330 | PT6A-42A |
| Fuel Type | Diesel / Jet Fuel | Diesel / Jet Fuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 1800 | 1800 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 168 | 180 | 500 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | — |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Usable Fuel (gal) | 76.4 | 86 | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 79.4 | 89 | 170 |
| Flat Rating | — | — | ISA + 55 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Length (ft) | 28.1 | 30.1 | 29.6 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 44.5 | 47.8 | 43.2 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 8.2 | 9.3 | 11.3 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 12.3 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 165 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | 20 |