Two two-seat trainers with opposite philosophies: the bare-bones, cheap-to-run Cessna 150 and the sweet-handling composite DA20.
The table below uses the same versioned PlaneFit dataset as the Finder. Prices and operating costs are planning estimates, not quotations.
| Decision factor | Cessna 150View aircraft profile | Diamond DA20-C1View aircraft profile | Piper PA-38-112 TomahawkView aircraft profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical market year | 1970 | 2025 | 1978 |
| Estimated purchase | €48k | €349k | €57k |
| Annual cash cost at 80 h | €65k | €25k | €58k |
| Five-year cash outlay | €373k | €475k | €347k |
| Cruise speed | 95 kt | 130 kt | 100 kt |
| Advertised range | 420 nm | 532 nm | 468 nm |
| Seats | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Realistic payload | 161 kg | 213 kg | 185 kg |
| Runway need | 422 m | 500 m | 535 m |
| Data confidence | Normalized for direct comparison | Normalized for direct comparison | Normalized for direct comparison |
| Main trade-off | Simple and economical, but useful load is tight and corrosion or engine condition can dominate value. | Efficient and pleasant to fly, but two seats, limited baggage and no instrument-weather flexibility constrain travel missions. | Spacious and economical for training, but spin history, wing condition and a small fleet require careful inspection. |
A factual first pass. Mission, condition and configuration can outweigh a brochure advantage.
Two-seat primary trainer. Its central ownership trade-off is: Simple and economical, but useful load is tight and corrosion or engine condition can dominate value.
Planning snapshot: €48k indicative price and €65k annual cash cost at 80 hours.
Read the full aircraft profile →Two-seat composite primary trainer. Its central ownership trade-off is: Efficient and pleasant to fly, but two seats, limited baggage and no instrument-weather flexibility constrain travel missions.
Planning snapshot: €349k indicative price and €25k annual cash cost at 80 hours.
Read the full aircraft profile →