Aircraft recommendation

[Pilot Doc]

T210, P210 and PA46 (Malibu) all fit that mission well. All can be had with roughly 1400 lb. useful load. 190kts on 15 gph for the pressurized versions at altitude. 300 lb of fuel would be adequate for most of the missions you describe, perhaps 400. That would work if guys aren't too big. Early PA46's in the $300K range generally dont have radar. Pod radar is common in P210, available in T210. TKS system available on the 210's is about as go anywhere anytime as you get. Boots on Malibu are so/so given the 130 kt min speed in icing.

What is his operating cost budget. Picking up a 400 series cessna on $250K is no problem, but he's looking at probably $100K/yr to own one.

There are a number of good resources for guys looking at $250K level planes. I highly recommend

cessna.org
copa.org
mmopa.org

 

[jet2work]

A used cirrus SR22 with TKS wing (not known icing) and XM Weather (not radar, but the next best thing). It will fit 4 (including the pilot). It has reasonably long legs, a decent cruise speed, great instrumentation and autopilot, TCAD, and if all else fails, a ballistic chute. Plus only one engine to feed and maintain.

Downsides: One engine, no radar, might be tough to find one for only $300K

 

[Pilot Doc]

How much do the proposed pax/pilot/bags weigh? 4 adults plus bags and tks fluid is tough in a cirrus. Could be tough even in a T210 if the guys are 250 lbs+

 

[BoilerUP]

I fly a non-FIKI TKS equipped SR22 G2.

Its a great airplane for one pilot and one or maybe two passengers...but with four adult men (especially if you have any bags) it becomes severely range limited due to lack of payload. With a payload consisting solely of 4 180lb folks, you won't get more than 40gal of gas onboard and probably more like 35gal. Best economy LoP will give you roughly 160KIAS @ 13gph but after you account for climb fuel 300nm isn't going to be doable 100% of the time.

Of course, if the pilot & passengers are light you're in better shape...and worse shape if folks are at or north of two bills apiece.

Of course, if you ditch the non-approved TKS system (which works, but tends to help pilots get out of a situation they never should be at in the first place) you'll gain quite a bit of payload.

With XM or Sirius datalink weather, I've never once wished I had an onboard ship's radar.