I almost bought a Turbo C206
Recall the turbo charger actually robs some take off performance. A fully loaded 206 might be a tough aircraft on an unprepared air strip (lots of Mexican you tubes of 206s operating out of nowhere) but I don’t recall they were particularly STOL.
Having owned a PA32 and a G36 I do not see them as ‘the optimal family hauler’. They are both really nice and capable travel machines, but they need too much runway to take the family in and out the small airstrips typical for family vacation outside the UHNWI sphere. Before getting my current aircraft, I almost bought a Turbo C206, which in my eyes is indeed the closest you can get to a ‘SUV of the Air Family Hauler’.
I think the runway limitation is a valid one, C182, C206 or C210 are the closest ones that fall under short runway and heavy load, they are bit higher than my budget…I was keen on getting Maule 235 which would fit all missions (IFR, family, strips, skis/floats 
), at the end, I settled for Guépard/Jodel for solo or 2pob flying and Mooney for flying family
OK GIYF
TODR SL MAUM C206 590m
TODR SL MAUM PA32-300 460m
TODR SL MAUM G36 595m
If t/o distance is key, then we may want to take it one step further and compare TO distance required for a given payload and range, same for all aircraft.
In that sense, once safely below 600m, arguably there is little advantage in improving t/o distance unless it is going to be 300m
I recall trying to convince someone to fly us to Newhall Mains, he was thinking 630m grass was really too short for PA32-300 near MTOW as refuelling options in Scotland are very limited….I am not sure G36 would have done it? or if C206 would fit?
When you get into less than 600m runways with heavyish (family) aircraft there are a large number of variables that make the comparison difficult.
Also, heavy haulers tend to be different animals whether light or heavy.
I flew a locally based Cherokee Six a few times years ago and I remember performance as sprightly, but I always flew solo or two POB
Our 210 on part fuel and 1 or 2 POB seems like a rocket compared to our more typical SUV family/friends long-distance load.
When comparing it with an SR22 the latter seems to beat it to altitude always…until you put the same load onboard and then the delta vanishes. Of course you can typically carry at least an extra 2 adults plus bags on the 210, but then t/o and climb will be less spectacular.
On our 210 you can use flaps20 for take off. This will make for a very good ground roll, especially if light, but will barely affect the distance to 50ft. This means on particular short and or soft fields our 210 will get out no problem as long as there are no obstacles on the departure end of the runway. Put some obstacles and then, especially if heavy, the story is different.
Will you take off our 210 from a 700m grass field at 2000ft elev with 50ft obstacles with a family of five plus luggage and fuel for 800nm? You should not. 300nm? No prob. Remove the obstacles and then you are back in the game.
RobertL18C wrote:
Recall the turbo charger actually robs some take off performance. A fully loaded 206 might be a tough aircraft on an unprepared air strip (lots of Mexican you tubes of 206s operating out of nowhere) but I don’t recall they were particularly STOL.
It depends on the Turbo technology. A TN will usually eat some take off performance due to its weight&co, but a real T with overboosting capability gets you plenty of performance plus. Also, keep in mind the payload we talk, i.e. the C206 I almost bought was listing ground roll of 1,060ft BUT that on 1,441lb useful load – when test flying 2 POB and half tanks, ground roll was about half and climb breathtaking.
Piper Aztec TODR SL MTOW =420 m
Partenavia P68 SL MTOW = 400m.
Both 6 seaters.
Piper Aztec TODR SL MTOW =420 m & Partenavia P68 SL MTOW = 400m.
I have yet to see a twin in less than 400m (I saw Tecnam 2006 touring microlight airfields, the pilot is Tecnam and Pipestrel seller and distributor in U.K.)
I would suggest the safety factor for operating off tarmac in an MEP is higher, and most 400m strips are non tarmac:)
