Cessna 172 Skyhawk vs Cessna 182 Skylane vs Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair vs Cirrus Sr20 G6
The Cessna Skyhawk (172) and Cirrus SR20 G6 are generally best categorized as four‑seat, fixed‑gear piston singles aimed at training and personal travel. The Skyhawk typically offers the shortest real‑world range of this group, often around 500–700 nautical miles depending on model, fuel, and reserves, while the SR20 G6 usually matches or modestly exceeds that, commonly landing in a similar mid‑hundreds‑of‑nautical‑miles bracket with higher cruise speeds. The Cessna Skylane (182) steps up as a higher‑performance, fixed‑gear piston single with four seats and greater useful load; its typical range is often closer to about 700–900 nautical miles, again depending heavily on configuration and operating assumptions. The Cessna Turbo Stationair (T206) is generally a six‑seat, fixed‑gear, turbocharged piston single optimized for hauling people and cargo and maintaining performance at altitude. It usually offers the greatest passenger capacity here and a typical range often around 700–900+ nautical miles, with turbocharging helping in climb and high‑density‑altitude operations more than dramatically extending range.
| Spec | Cessna Skyhawk | Cessna Skylane | Cessna Turbo Stationair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||
| DOC / nm | $ 0.95 | $ 1.01 | $ 1.08 |
| Total Seats | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Cessna | Cessna | Cessna |
| Aircraft Name | 172 Skyhawk | 182 Skylane | 206 Turbo Stationair |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 640 | 915 | 703 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.24 | $ 0.25 | $ 0.18 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 118 | $ 146 | $ 174 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 124 | 145 | 161 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $415,000 | $530,000 | $745,000 |
| Cockpit | — | — | 2 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | — | 4 |
| Cabin | |||
| Total Seats | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Cockpit | — | — | 2 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | — | 4 |
| Engine | |||
| FADEC | No | No | No |
| Model | IO-360-L2A | IO-540-AB1A5 | TIO-540-AJ1A |
| Fuel Type | AvGas | AvGas | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 |
| TBO (yrs) | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Horsepower | 200 | 245 | 350 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 42 | 87 | 87 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Length (ft) | 27.2 | 29 | 28.3 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 36.1 | 36 | 36 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 11.9 | 11.2 | 12.1 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 9 | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 30 | 32 | 11 |