Cessna U206G Stationair

Cessna introduced the 206 in 1964 as a six-seat tricycle-gear utility airplane. The line offered both the passenger 206 with conventional doors and the U206 utility model with the wide right-side cargo door. The cargo door was designed to accept freight pallets, snowmobiles, stretchers, and substantial cargo loads. The original 206 used the Continental IO-470 engine. Later variants moved to the IO-520-F at 300 hp.

Production iterated through model letters across two decades. The U206G arrived in 1977 with the Continental IO-520-F engine and incremental refinements over the prior U206F. The 1977-1986 U206G production tranche is the volume variant in the used market. Cessna also produced the TU206G turbocharged variant in parallel, but production volumes were lower. The U206 line ended in 1986 along with the rest of Cessna's piston-single lineup.

The 206 line restarted in 1997 with the 206H Stationair, using the Lycoming IO-540 engine. Current production continues as the 206H with G1000 NXi avionics. The pre-restart U206G remains the volume Stationair in the used market and represents the practical choice for buyers under $250,000. Most cargo-door utility operations in Alaska, Canada, and missionary aviation programs worldwide use U206 variants. The fleet is well-supported by Cessna Pilots Association.

The Cessna U206G cruises at about 148 KTAS at 75% power, burning 15.5 gph of 100LL. At long-range cruise (65%), the airplane drops to about 138 KTAS on 13 gph. The U206G is faster than the 182 (138 KTAS at 75%) and slower than the 185 (152 KTAS at 75%) due to the heavier airframe and additional drag from the cargo door area. The tricycle gear adds parasite drag relative to the taildragger 185.

Useful load is the U206G's defining number. A typical Stationair has about 1,700 to 1,900 pounds of useful load. Full fuel (84 gallons usable) leaves about 1,200 to 1,400 pounds for people and cargo. Six adults plus full bags fit comfortably within gross. The cargo door (49 inches by 36 inches when fully open) accepts freight pallets, snowmobiles, stretcher operations, and substantial cargo loads. Range with reserves is about 700 nm at long-range cruise. Service ceiling is 14,800 ft. The U206G is one of the most-capable six-seat singles in production history.

The Continental IO-520-F is the engine on every U206G. It's a six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, fuel-injected, direct-drive piston rated at 300 hp at 2,850 RPM. Continental's published TBO is 1,700 hours (1,900 hours for serial number 1006000 and later) per Continental Service Information Letter SIL 98-9E. The IO-520-F shares core architecture with the IO-520-D in the Cessna 185 but has different accessory mounts and cooling configuration for the tricycle-gear 206 airframe.

Field overhauls at Western Skyways, Gann Aviation, or other reputable Continental shops run $45,000 to $60,000 in 2026 prices. The IO-520-F has the same light-crankcase history as other IO-520 variants. Pre-buy must include thorough case inspection. Modern overhauls typically include case work or upgrade.

Oil consumption on a healthy IO-520-F runs about 0.4 to 0.6 quarts per hour. The engine reaches TBO routinely when operated regularly and managed reasonably. Cylinder work at top-overhaul intervals (around 1,100 to 1,400 hours on hard-flown engines) runs $3,500 to $5,500 per cylinder. The Stationair's typical operating profile (utility flights, often heavy loads, frequent ground operation) means cylinder work is more common than in lower-utilization personal-owner operations.

Plan on $240 to $345 per flight hour at 100 hours a year of utilization, all-in. The U206G's cost structure reflects the 300 hp engine, six-seat cabin, and utility mission. Fuel and oil run about $95 to $120 per hour at 15.5 gph and $5.50 to $7 for 100LL. Engine overhaul reserve is $27 to $35 per hour based on a $45,000 to $60,000 overhaul amortized across the 1,700-hour TBO. Airframe maintenance reserve is $25 to $45 per hour, higher than typical four-seat singles due to the larger airframe and cargo-door inspection items.

Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection) add another $80 to $145 per hour at 100 hours a year of utilization. Insurance on the U206G is moderate for a six-seat single. Hull values are reasonable. First-time owners pay $3,500 to $7,000 a year typically. Established Stationair pilots with 200+ hours in type pay $2,200 to $4,500. The 206 is meaningfully easier to insure than a 185 because of the tricycle gear.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026: A U206G with mid-time engine and steam-gauge panel runs $130,000 to $180,000. A U206G with fresh engine and modern Garmin panel runs $180,000 to $240,000. Turbocharged TU206G aircraft run $20,000 to $40,000 above comparable normally-aspirated U206G aircraft, with the turbo system adding maintenance complexity that offsets the acquisition premium for many buyers.

Cessna Pilots Association covers the 206 family. Annual dues are about $70. The 206 has substantial type-club support including pre-buy guidance, engine and prop overhaul shop recommendations, and the accumulated 60 years of fleet operating experience. Float and bush operations in Alaska have particularly accumulated 206-specific operating knowledge.