King Air 250 vs Swearingen SA-227AT Merlin 4
Side-by-side specs, range, and real operating costs for up to 5 aircraft.
Mission Performance
Tap to isolateValues normalised across compared aircraft. Fuel Economy is inverted (lower burn = higher score). See table below for raw figures.
Mission Performance Details
| Metric | King Air 250 Beechcraft | Swearingen SA-227AT Merlin 4 Fairchild Aircraft (M7) |
|---|---|---|
| Stall Speed | 96 kts | 86 kts |
| Approach Speed | 105 kts | 112 kts |
| Cruise Speed | 310 kts | 278 kts |
| Range | 1,720 nm | 1,170 nm |
| Service Ceiling | 35,000 ft | 31,000 ft |
| Rate of Climb | 2,450 fpm | 1,500 fpm |
| Fuel Burn | 102.0 gph | 79.0 gph |
Flight Profile
Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.
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.
Fuel Burn
Based on published cruise fuel flow
| Metric | King Air 250 Beechcraft | Swearingen SA-227AT Merlin 4 Fairchild Aircraft (M7) |
|---|---|---|
| Burn Rate |
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| Trip Fuel |
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| Trip Cost |
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| Cost / hr |
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: trip distance exceeds published range.
Trip time estimated from published cruise speed and distance. Fuel burn is a published cruise figure; actual consumption varies with altitude, loading, and conditions.
Runway Performance
Density altitude adjusted estimates
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
Landing ground roll
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
| Metric | King Air 250 Beechcraft | Swearingen SA-227AT Merlin 4 Fairchild Aircraft (M7) |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Cost per hour | $612/hr | $474/hr |
| Direct Operating Cost per hour | $1,650/hr | $474/hr estimated |
| Annual Fixed Costs | ||
| Insurance | $35,000/yr | —/yr |
| Hangar | $24,000/yr | $15,236/yr |
| Annual Inspection | $45,000/yr | $2,500/yr |
| Total Fixed | $104,000/yr | $17,736/yr |
Estimates only. Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.
Capability, Limits & Dimensions
| Metric | King Air 250 Beechcraft | Swearingen SA-227AT Merlin 4 Fairchild Aircraft (M7) |
|---|---|---|
| Useful Load | 3,760 lbs | 6,300 lbs |
| MTOW | 12,500 lbs | 15,999 lbs |
| Seating | 9 | 19 |
| Fuel Capacity | 544 gal | 648 gal |
| Engines | 2× Turboprop | 2× Turboprop |
| Landing Gear | Retractable | Retractable |
| Pressurized | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | ||
| Wingspan | 57.9 ft | 57.0 ft |
| Length | 43.8 ft | 59.4 ft |
| Tail Height | 14.8 ft | 16.7 ft |
Payload-Range Map
Origin: · click map to move