The Pilatus PC-12 Vs. The Cessna 208 Caravan - which one will Win?

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Who will be the winner? comment below and let us know what you think.

In this Turboprop Comparison,  we’ll consider key productivity parameters for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX and the Pilatus PC-12 NG (including payload, range, speed, and cabin size) to establish which aircraft provides the better value in the single-engine turboprop market.
How might a desire for higher speed and longer range influence an aircraft buying decision, particularly when that comes at a higher price and operating cost? It’s hoped that the following turboprop comparison will help clarify.

Payload & Range Comparison
When comparing business turboprops, an important area for potential operators to focus on is payload capability, especially the ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’. the Grand Caravan EX ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’ to be 1,086lbs, which is ~10% greater than the 988lbs offered by the Pilatus PC-12 NG 

the cabin width of the Grand Caravan EX is 5.3ft., which is slightly wider than the PC-12 NG (5.0ft). However, the height of the Grand Caravan (4.5ft) is less than the PC-12 NG (4.83ft).

The PC-12 NG also has a slightly longer cabin than the Grand Caravan EX (16.92ft vs 16.75ft), and overall the PC-12 NG provides four cubic feet more of overall cabi

Variable Cost Comparison
The ‘Variable Cost’, is defined as the estimated cost of fuel expense, maintenance labor expense, scheduled parts expense, and miscellaneous trip expense (hangar, crew and catering).
These costs DO NOT represent a direct source into every flight department and their trip support expenses. For comparative purposes, the costs presented are the relative differences, not the actual differences, since these may vary from one flight department to another.
The Grand Caravan EX ($579) shows the lower variable cost per hour compared to the Pilatus PC-12 NG ($774), a difference of 25%.

the used prices (per Aircraft Bluebook) for the Grand Caravan EX, which range between $1.70m and $2.25m. The PC-12 NG’s price ranges between $2.6m and $5.02m.


Productivity can be defined (and it is here) as the multiple of three factors:

Full Fuel w/Available Payload Range (nm);

The long-range cruise speed flown to achieve that range;

The cabin volume available for passengers and amenities.

Others may choose different parameters, but serious business aircraft buyers are usually impressed with price, range, speed, and cabin size.

The Faster Speed and Longer-Range Question
The Pilatus PC-12 NG offers considerably faster speed and more range – plus a marginally larger cabin volume. However, the ‘Available Payload with Maximum Fuel’ is lower than that of the Grand Caravan EX.
While the slower speed and less range impacts its placement on our overall productivity chart, the Grand Caravan EX comes in with a lower new and pre-owned price, and has a lower variable hourly operating cost than the PC-12 NG model.
Would the time and cost of a fuel stop required by the Grand Caravan EX to cover the same distance be offset by its lower operating cost? What percentage of projected flights could be covered by the Grand Caravan EX, and how many could only be achieved with a longer-range, quicker Pilatus PC-12 NG?
These are all questions that should be considered with a consultant to help determine the complexities of which turboprops for sale are best suited to an individual operator’s unique needs.
Within the preceding paragraphs, we have touched upon several of the attributes that business turboprop operators value. There are other qualities such as airport performance, terminal are performance and time-to-climb that might factor in a buying decision, however.
Ultimately, there is plenty for a prospective buyer to consider when deciding which performance criteria is better suited to them