Cessna 402 vs Piper Navajo PA-31

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

Saved as

Select aircraft

Compare up to 5 aircraft side-by-side

Search for an aircraft to begin your comparison.

Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Cessna 402
44 ft × 36 ft ⭥ 12 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized
Piper Navajo PA-31
41 ft × 33 ft ⭥ 13 ft
2× Piston Retractable Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Cessna 402Piper Navajo PA-31
Stall speed 68 kt70 kt
Approach speed 93 kt95 kt
Cruise speed 213 kt215 kt
Range 875 nm1011 nm
Service ceiling 26900 ft26300 ft
Rate of climb 1450 fpm1445 fpm
Fuel burn 46.0 gph36.5 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Cessna 402 Avgas
46.0 gph
Baseline
875 nm range 4.6 nm/gal 213 gal usable $299 fuel/hr 4h 37m endurance
Cessna 402: 46.0 gph at cruise, 875 nautical mile published range, 4 hour 37 minute endurance, 4.6 nautical miles per gallon.
Piper Navajo PA-31 Avgas
36.5 gph
Baseline
1,011 nm range 5.9 nm/gal 192 gal usable $237 fuel/hr 5h 15m endurance
Piper Navajo PA-31: 36.5 gph at cruise, 1,011 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 15 minute endurance, 5.9 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed

Bars show published still-air range: select a cell to view cruise-hours and fuel usage. Endurance is full tank at the displayed cruise burn rate; the extra is reserve and economy margin. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing over 50 ft obstacle

Density Altitude

Monte cristo

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Hourly direct and annual fixed costs

Scale:
Cessna 402 Avgas
$531 /hr
Baseline
Cessna 402: $531 per flight hour — fuel $299, maintenance and reserve $232.
Piper Navajo PA-31 Avgas
$364 /hr
Baseline
Piper Navajo PA-31: $364 per flight hour — fuel $237, maintenance and reserve $127.
Cessna 402 Piston
$12,579 /yr Baseline
Cessna 402: $12,579 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $10,079, annual inspection $2,500.
Piper Navajo PA-31 Piston
$12,997 /yr Baseline
Piper Navajo PA-31: $12,997 per year — insurance $3,942, hangar $6,000, annual inspection $3,055.

Estimates only. Hourly direct operating cost, based on fuel price and reserves; Annual fixed costs (insurance, hangar, and inspection). Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Payload vs useful load limit

+ cargo
×
1
Cessna 402 Piston
10 / 10 seats cargo 213 gal / 213 gal fuel 1,495 lbs wet payload 2,773 lbs useful 6,850 lbs MTOW
Piper Navajo PA-31 Piston
8 / 8 seats cargo 192 gal / 192 gal fuel 1,418 lbs wet payload 2,570 lbs useful 6,500 lbs MTOW

Shows selected occupants against full fuel, within the aircraft's useful-load limit. Fuel weight at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas; pax and luggage are 190 + 30 . Change payload weights in global settings.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: → · two fingers to move map

+ cargo
×
1

Cookies and analytics. We use Mixpanel and Google Analytics to understand how this site is used. Mixpanel records session replays (interaction patterns, scroll, and click timing). Page content is masked: we do not see what you read or type. Cookies are set only if you accept. Read our privacy policy.