Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair vs Piper M350 vs Piper Seneca
The Cessna Turbo Stationair is typically viewed as a rugged, utility-focused single‑engine piston aircraft, valued for flexibility and short‑field capability. Its range is generally in the mid-hundreds of nautical miles to around the ~700–800 nm class depending on year, payload, and power setting, and it commonly seats about six, with useful load and cabin layout often favoring practical carrying over luxury. The Piper M350 is a pressurized, high‑performance single‑engine piston aircraft positioned as a personal/business traveler. It generally offers the longest effective range of the three in many real-world missions (often roughly ~1,000 nm class with reserves, depending on conditions) and typically seats six, with a more refined, quieter cabin and higher-speed cruise than a Stationair. The Piper Seneca is a twin‑engine piston aircraft, generally categorized as a light twin for personal, training, and light commercial use. It usually carries five to six passengers (often up to six or seven seats depending on configuration) and offers range commonly in the ~700–900 nm class, trading some speed and payload flexibility for twin‑engine redundancy and multi‑engine capability.
| Spec | Cessna Turbo Stationair | Piper M350 | Piper Seneca |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 1.08 | $ 1.34 | $ 1.69 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Cessna | Piper | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | 206 Turbo Stationair | M350 | Seneca |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 703 | 1343 | 828 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.18 | $ 0.22 | $ 0.28 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 174 | $ 285 | $ 337 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 161 | 213 | 200 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $745,000 | $1,195,000 | $1,095,000 |
| Useful Load (lbs) | — | 1308 | 1331 |
| Cabin | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 5.6 | — |
| Engine | |||
| FADEC | No | No | No |
| Model | TIO-540-AJ1A | TIO-540-AE2A | TSIO-360-RB |
| Fuel Type | AvGas | AvGas | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 2000 | 2000 | 1800 |
| TBO (yrs) | 12 | 12 | — |
| Horsepower | 350 | 350 | 220 |
| Fuel Delivery | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected | Fuel Injected |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 87 | 120 | 122 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Length (ft) | 28.3 | 29 | 28.6 |
| Wingspan (ft) | 36 | 43 | 39 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 3.6 | 4.1 | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.2 | 4 | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 12.1 | 12.3 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 9.4 | 11.4 | 10 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 11 | 20 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 165 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 13 | — |