The two aircraft flight schools argue about most: a high-wing Skyhawk against Piper's low-wing Archer, closely matched on cost and mission.
The table below uses the same versioned PlaneFit dataset as the Finder. Prices and operating costs are planning estimates, not quotations.
| Decision factor | Cessna 172S Skyhawk SPView aircraft profile | Piper Archer LXView aircraft profile | Cirrus SR20 G6View aircraft profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical market year | 2019 | 2023 | 2020 |
| Estimated purchase | €497k | €419k | €500k |
| Annual cash cost at 80 h | €32k | €34k | €49k |
| Five-year cash outlay | €655k | €589k | €745k |
| Cruise speed | 124 kt | 128 kt | 155 kt |
| Advertised range | 640 nm | 522 nm | 785 nm |
| Seats | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Realistic payload | 301 kg | 293 kg | 373 kg |
| Runway need | 497 m | 490 m | 550 m |
| Data confidence | Normalized for direct comparison | Normalized for direct comparison | Normalized for direct comparison |
| Main trade-off | Exceptionally easy to support and resell, but four adults with bags and meaningful fuel are usually unrealistic. | Predictable, comfortable and widely supported, but performance is conservative and four-person trips require loading discipline. | Modern avionics, cabin and safety systems are strong, but training utilization and CAPS or engine status still drive price. |
A factual first pass. Mission, condition and configuration can outweigh a brochure advantage.
Four-seat training and personal touring aircraft. Its central ownership trade-off is: Exceptionally easy to support and resell, but four adults with bags and meaningful fuel are usually unrealistic.
Planning snapshot: €497k indicative price and €32k annual cash cost at 80 hours.
Read the full aircraft profile →Four-seat personal touring aircraft. Its central ownership trade-off is: Predictable, comfortable and widely supported, but performance is conservative and four-person trips require loading discipline.
Planning snapshot: €419k indicative price and €34k annual cash cost at 80 hours.
Read the full aircraft profile →