guy has 5 million to play with.
he can save alot of it going with a prop job. A jet is cool and nice. but honestly, its whats most cost efficient. I flew with a guy form the middle of the country who did work in louisana and south carolina. all he needed was a Navajo (full panther conversion) and did just fine. he didnt want a King air 200 for the comfort...as it was more than he needed.
whats his needs/wants? does he really really need a leather interior or just want it badly? can he do just fine and not care either way? does he want a jet for the prestige and cool factor? or is he fine with a prop either way?
you said 4-6 max passengers.
aparently 30-90 minute trips...perhaps 2 hour trips with some weather holding time.
a few trips a month....1 a week minimum it seems.
the more basic the plane....the cheaper it would cost to pay the pilot to fly it. get a beechjet, and your pilot pay increases dramatically over the navajo pilot....and a bit more over the king air pilot. so, thats something to weigh (yeah i know its a bad thing to say but its true)
so what are his comprimises and go with that. theres what he needs, and what he wnats. will he show up with 8 people one day and need that extra 2 seats hes never used before? will ne need those extra two seats for the additional golf bags or extra cargo he picked up at the destination? (not to mention the capacity of the plane to take that extra unplanned weight)
yeah it screams king air
-c90...at the space limit, and 200...great space, as well as the B100...it's quite efficient up at altitude, and works well in high terrain <flat rated engines to 250>
-it also screams CJ-1....dont forget the CJ1
-piper navajo panther conversion works well since you won't even need full tanks with those trips.
-piper cheyanne series.....fast planes.
-the Pilatus PC-12 would fit that bill very well.
-but if he really wants the ultimate in style, theres the Piaggio 180 Avanti. if it was possible to pick up chics with a plane on looks that one would do it....and its near 400 knots of speed. i dunno the cost of one tho.
i suggest the king air 200 or B100 overall. if hes going into smaller paved strips, this plane will land there just fine. i rode on a lifeguard B200 once into a pretty narrow and rough runway in Oakley KS and it was wonderful. it OWNZ the small runway environment....as well as the PC-12....consider....
final note: i wonder what a re-engined Jetstar with some WR FJ44-3 engines would be like....besides slightly underpowered.....the RANGE on those engiens would be phenominal.