Plane & Pilot 2021 Buyer‘s Guide: Single-Engine Piston Planes

Newcomers, upgrades, and old favorites: 20 piston singles for 2017.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The piston single aircraft market offers a diverse range of options, from high-performance pressurized models to versatile trainers, with new models and significant updates to existing airframes.
  • Modern avionics, such as Garmin's G1000 NXi and G3000 suites, are a key feature across many leading piston singles, enhancing safety, functionality, and user experience.
  • The Cirrus SR22 G6 remains the top-selling piston single, featuring advanced avionics and a whole-airplane recovery parachute, while competitors like the Piper M350, Mooney Acclaim Ultra, and Cessna TTx offer distinct advantages in areas like pressurization, speed, or cockpit technology.
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Beechcraft G36 Bonanza
Beechcraft G36 Bonanza

Beechcraft G36 Bonanza

When you think of the ideal personal transportation piston single, it’s hard not to think of the G36 Bonanza, a fast, six-place retractable cruiser with club seating in back and a big, comfy barn door for passengers to climb into and back out of the plane. The basic design of the plane hasn’t changed in decades, but the quality and design character, if anything, have only grown stronger over time. And the electronics are light-years ahead of any ’60s-era Model 36, with the Garmin G1000 avionics suite standard. Beechcraft, now a part of Textron Aviation, only sells a few dozen Bonanzas a year, and they go for a premium. But the pleasure and pride Beechcraft owners take in their planes, owners will tell you, is hard to beat.

Niche: Premium, retractable-gear single

Base Price: $799,000

Competitors: Cirrus SR22, Cessna TTx, Piper Matrix

Read our G36 Bonanza pilot report.

Beechcraft G36 Bonanza Specifications

Learn more at Beechcraft.

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