Pilatus PC-12 NGX private jetDaher TBM 960 private jet

PC-12 NGX vs TBM 960

A head-to-head look at two of the most-chartered aircraft in the turboprop class.

Pilatus PC-12 NGX

PILATUS

Pilatus PC-12 NGX

The Pilatus PC-12 NGX is the world's most-delivered single-engine turbine aircraft — exceptional reliability, jet-style cabin appointments and unmatched short-runway access at the most economical operating cost in private aviation.

FULL PILATUS PC-12 NGX PAGE →
Daher TBM 960

DAHER

Daher TBM 960

The Daher TBM 960 is the fastest single-engine turboprop in production — 330 kts cruise, fully-digital Garmin G3000 deck and Pratt & Whitney PT6E-66XT engine with autothrottle.

FULL DAHER TBM 960 PAGE →

SPECIFICATIONS

Side-by-side specifications

METRICPC-12 NGXTBM 960
Passengers6–85
Range1,803 nm1,730 nm
Cruise speed290 kts330 kts
Cabin height4'10"4'0"
Cabin width5'0"3'11"
Baggage40 cu ft16 cu ft
Runway2,485 ft2,380 ft

Pilatus PC-12 NGX — strengths

  • Most-delivered single turbine in history
  • Lowest operating cost in segment
  • 2,485 ft runway capability

Daher TBM 960 — strengths

  • Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
  • Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
  • Short-runway capable

CHARTER PRICING

Indicative pricing

PILATUS PC-12 NGX
Zurich → St Moritzfrom CHF 4,800
Denver → Aspenfrom $4,100
DAHER TBM 960
Teterboro → Martha's Vineyardfrom $4,800
Munich → Innsbruckfrom €4,200

All-inclusive indicative one-way pricing. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes.

EXPERT VERDICT

The PC-12 NGX is the stronger all-rounder, but the TBM 960 still wins on the metrics that matter to specific buyers.

The PC-12 NGX pulls ahead on range / non-stop reach, cabin comfort and group capacity; the TBM 960 answers with airport access. Both sit in the turboprop class, so charter pricing is broadly aligned — let the use case (range, group size, airport pair) drive the final call.

Range / non-stop reach

PC-12 NGX

1,803 nm of range — the better choice for transcontinental and intercontinental missions.

Cabin comfort

PC-12 NGX

Taller and/or wider cabin (4'10" × 5'0") — better for long flights and stand-up movement.

Group capacity

PC-12 NGX

Seats up to 8 — the right pick when the manifest grows.

Airport access

TBM 960

Shorter 2,380 ft balanced-field requirement — opens up restricted alpine, island and city-adjacent airfields.

Speed & block time

Even

Comparable on this dimension.

Verdict based on published manufacturer specifications, charter market data and Limitless Sky brokerage experience.

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Charter the PC-12 NGX or the TBM 960.

Tell us your route — our desk returns a confirmed quote on both aircraft within 10 minutes, so you can compare like-for-like on your exact mission.

CHOOSE WITH CONFIDENCE

Top reasons to choose — and who each aircraft is best for

A tailored summary for the PC-12 NGX and TBM 960: the deciding reasons in this matchup, plus the buyer archetypes each aircraft serves best.

PILATUS

Top reasons to choose the PC-12 NGX

  • Bigger cabin envelope (4'10" tall × 5'0" wide) than the TBM 960 — meaningful difference on flights over three hours.
  • Seats up to 8 passengers vs 5 on the TBM 960 — better for full-group charters and family travel.
  • 40 cu ft of baggage volume — fits ski, golf and extended-stay luggage that crowds the TBM 960.
  • Most-delivered single turbine in history
  • Lowest operating cost in segment

BEST FOR

  • Larger party charters

    Up to 8 seats vs 5 on the TBM 960 — the natural pick when the manifest grows last-minute.

  • Island & alpine access

    Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.

  • Sub-500 nm hops

    Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.

  • Cargo-heavy missions

    Large cabin door and floor loading for ski, dive and field-kit travel.

DAHER

Top reasons to choose the TBM 960

  • Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
  • Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
  • Short-runway capable

BEST FOR

  • Island & alpine access

    Short, unpaved or high-altitude strips that jets simply cannot use.

  • Sub-500 nm hops

    Operating cost per seat-mile beats every jet on quick regional legs.

  • Cargo-heavy missions

    Large cabin door and floor loading for ski, dive and field-kit travel.

  • Medevac & utility

    Stretcher and rapid-reconfig layouts for time-critical lifts.

PROS & CONS

Honest assessment

PILATUS

Pilatus PC-12 NGX

PROS

  • +Most-delivered single turbine in history
  • +Lowest operating cost in segment
  • +2,485 ft runway capability
  • +Carries up to 8 passengers vs 5 on the TBM 960 — better for larger groups.
  • +Taller cabin (4'10") than the TBM 960 — easier to move around on long flights.
  • +Wider cabin (5'0") makes a meaningful difference at the shoulders vs the TBM 960.

CONS

  • Marginally more expensive per block hour than the TBM 960 on typical charter quotes — confirm with a live quote for your route.

DAHER

Daher TBM 960

PROS

  • +Fastest single-engine turboprop in service
  • +Lowest hourly cost in pressurised aircraft class
  • +Short-runway capable

CONS

  • Maximum 5-seat layout is tight if you regularly travel with more than 5 — the PC-12 NGX adds 3 seats.
  • Lower ceiling than the PC-12 NGX (4'0" vs 4'10") — stand-up movement is restricted.
  • Tighter baggage capacity than the PC-12 NGX (16 cu ft vs 40 cu ft).

REAL-WORLD MISSIONS

Which aircraft for which mission

Four scenarios our charter desk sees regularly — and which of these two we would actually quote.

SCENARIO 01

Ski-week shuttle into a short alpine strip

OUR PICKTBM 960

Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 02

Coastal island hop with bicycles and dive gear

OUR PICKTBM 960

Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 03

Regional medevac repositioning with stretcher kit

OUR PICKTBM 960

Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

SCENARIO 04

Field-visit tour across three regional airports in one day

OUR PICKTBM 960

Shorter runway requirement (2,380 ft) opens up the airfield.

SEE FULL AIRCRAFT →

ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS

Best pick per route

ROUTEDISTANCERECOMMENDEDWHY
London → Le Touquet120 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Zurich → St Moritz95 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Aspen → Telluride115 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.
Nantucket → Teterboro180 nmEitherBoth aircraft fly this comfortably non-stop — choose on cabin and price.

Distances are great-circle approximations; actual fuel planning accounts for winds, weather and reserves.

FAQ

PC-12 NGX vs TBM 960 — frequently asked

PC-12 NGX vs TBM 960: which has the longer range?OPEN

The Pilatus PC-12 NGX has a published range of 1,803 nm; the Daher TBM 960 is rated at 1,730 nm. The longer-range aircraft opens up more non-stop city pairs without a tech stop.

Which is faster — PC-12 NGX or TBM 960?OPEN

Cruise speeds are 290 kts for the Pilatus PC-12 NGX and 330 kts for the Daher TBM 960. On a Zurich → St Moritz-style mission the faster aircraft typically saves 10–25 minutes block time.

How many passengers does each aircraft carry?OPEN

The Pilatus PC-12 NGX seats 6–8; the Daher TBM 960 seats 5. Charter prices below assume a typical executive layout — high-density configurations are available on request.

What does it cost to charter the Pilatus PC-12 NGX vs the Daher TBM 960?OPEN

Indicative one-way pricing on a benchmark mission: Pilatus PC-12 NGX from from CHF 4,800, Daher TBM 960 from from $4,800. Confirmed quote in 10 minutes — pricing varies with empty-leg availability, season and routing.

Which aircraft is better for transatlantic or long-range missions?OPEN

Both belong to the Turboprop category, but range, payload and runway performance differ. See the route-recommendations table on this page for our specific pick per corridor.

MORE COMPARISONS

Compare more turboprops

PC-12 NGX × TBM 960 CLUSTER

Continue researching PC-12 NGX or TBM 960

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