Cessna 182 Skylane vs Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair vs Cessna Caravan vs Piper M500 vs Piper Seneca

The Cessna Skylane (182) is a piston single in the personal and light utility category, typically carrying 4 people (up to 5 with certain seating) and offering roughly 700–1,000 nautical miles of range depending on power settings and load. The Cessna Turbo Stationair (206) is a larger, turbocharged piston single aimed at utility and backcountry work, usually seating 6 and delivering about 600–900 nautical miles, with better high-density-altitude performance than non-turbo piston singles. The Cessna Caravan (208) is a single-engine turboprop optimized for cargo and short-haul regional/remote operations, commonly configured for 9–14 passengers and around 800–1,200 nautical miles of range. The Piper M500 is a pressurized, high-performance single-engine turboprop in the owner-flown/business category, typically seating 5–6 and running about 900–1,200 nautical miles with higher cruise speeds than the Caravan. The Piper Seneca is a light twin piston for personal, training, and light charter use, usually seating 5–6 with about 700–1,000 nautical miles, trading simplicity for twin-engine redundancy.