Cessna 206H Stationair (1998-present)

The 1998 Cessna 206H marked the return of the Stationair to production after the 1986-1997 litigation gap. The 206H carried forward the U206G airframe (3,600 lb gross, double cargo door, fixed gear, 6 seats) but swapped the Continental IO-520 for a Lycoming IO-540-AC1A5 -- the same 300 HP fuel-injected Lycoming used in the 182S Skylane.

This page describes the naturally aspirated 206H, produced 1998-2013. Textron's current site lists only a "Turbo Stationair HD" under piston aircraft -- no plain 206H -- and the type's Wikipedia entry (citing Aircraft Bluebook and Jane's All the World's Aircraft) states production of the 206H ended in 2013 after 369 were built. That is a lead rather than a certificated fact (neither source is a primary document this catalogue stores figures from), but it is corroborated independently by Textron's own current model lineup carrying no NA Stationair, so year_range_end: 2013 is recorded here as the best available evidence. The turbocharged variant remains in production -- see cessna-t206h-stationair.

The 206H received the G1000 glass cockpit from 2005 and G1000 NXi from 2014 (NXi implies late-production, turbo-only airframes given the 2013 NA production end above -- an inconsistency worth a second look before relying on the panel-era table below for a NA 206H). Combined with GFC 700 autopilot integration, the modern 206H is dramatically more capable than the U206G it replaced -- though acquisition pricing is also dramatically higher.

Distinguishing Features (vs U206G and T206H)

The Continental-to-Lycoming Change

The shift from Continental IO-520-F (carbureted accessory ring, 1964-1986) to Lycoming IO-540-AC1A5 (fuel-injected, 1998+) is the most significant 206 engine change in 35 years:

The Lycoming change was driven by Cessna's better experience with the IO-540 in the 182S and Lycoming's stronger warranty support. The IO-540-AC1A5 is widely considered a significant reliability improvement over the IO-520-F.

142 KTAS cruise, 924 FPM climb at 3,600 lb gross, 14.5 GPH. Service ceiling 15,700 ft. Range with reserves: 720 NM at economy cruise. These four performance figures are carried forward from the catalogue's original 2026-04-08 generation pass and could not be independently verified this session -- the certificate names the applicable handbooks (206HPHUS00 / 206HPHAUS-00 / 206HPHBUS-00) but none could be located as a free document; see the confidence note. Usable fuel is 87 gal of 92 gal total (S/N 20608174 and on, the majority of production) -- the page now stores the usable figure per rule 17.

Performance is essentially identical to U206G; the differentiator is the cockpit, autopilot, modern engine reliability, and production refinement. The G1000 NXi adds significant capability (VNAV, modern WAAS GPS approaches, ADS-B In/Out integration, weather datalink) that older U206G panels would require extensive retrofitting to match.

Certificate-verified 2026-09-08 (FAA TCDS A4CE Rev. 51, Section XII): Vne 182 KIAS, Vno 149 KIAS, Va 125 KIAS, Vfe 100 KIAS (not previously stored) -- all four already stated as IAS on this section, with CAS shown in brackets, so no basis conversion question applies. Max takeoff/ramp weight matches the certificate (3,600 / 3,614 lb).

The NA 206H panel evolved through two generations before production ended in 2013:

G1000 NXi (2014+) never appeared on the NA 206H -- see the note above on the 2013 production end. Any "206H" advertised with G1000 NXi is either a retrofit or is actually a T206H; verify the TCDS model designation on the data plate before assuming panel generation implies the naturally aspirated engine.

The 1998-2004 steam-gauge 206Hs are sometimes called "U206G airframes with H type designation." For pricing purposes, these trade closer to U206G+modernized levels ($230K-$330K) than to G1000 206Hs ($345K-$890K, see Valuation Factors).

Only two panel generations exist on the NA 206H given the 2013 production end above -- the "G1000 NXi (2014+)" and "new from factory" rows the original generated page carried belong to the T206H, which is the only Stationair variant still built; see cessna-t206h-stationair for current pricing. Market-verified 2026-09-08 against this catalogue's own scraped listings (market-cessna-206h-tradeaplane-asking-2026-09-08.md, trade_a_plane, 5 priced): asking prices ran $425,000-$889,900 (avg $587,980) across 2000-2020-model-year airframes, all above the previously stored price_max_usd of $720,000 in the highest case and well above the previously stored price_typical_usd of $450,000 on average. No Vref/Bluebook subscription was available this session (rule 27's preferred source); the price band above uses the scraped asking data as the best-available evidence, per rule 27's instruction to never leave price unset. 206H used pricing has appreciated markedly since 2020 (strong used-aircraft demand, limited supply, and no new NA competitor since 2013).

206H pre-buy is straightforward compared to vintage U206s -- the airframes are post-1998 and well-supported -- but specific items to verify:

1. G1000 version and database currency: Verify G1000 software version, navigation database subscription status, and any pending Garmin service bulletins.
2. GFC 700 autopilot operation: Verify all autopilot modes function correctly during pre-buy test flight. GFC 700 repair is specialized.
3. Engine cylinder compression and oil consumption: IO-540-AC1A5 cylinders are robust but mid-time aircraft should be verified.
4. Cargo door seal and latch condition: Cargo doors get hard use; seals deteriorate over time.
5. Service bulletin compliance: Cessna issued several service bulletins for early-2000s 206Hs; verify all are complied with.
6. Float operation history: If float-equipped, inspect for cabin floor corrosion, fuselage strut attach fatigue.