Beechcraft Bonanza 36 / A36 / G36 vs Cirrus SR22
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
iBeechcraft Bonanza 36 / A36 / G36
**This page's specifications describe one airplane: the 300 hp Continental IO-550-B A36**, serials **E-1946, E-2104 and E-2111 through E-3635** — 1,526 of 3,450 A36 serials, built from 1984 to 2005. It is the largest single block on the certificate, and the only one with both a freely available handbook and a manufacturer's specification sheet. The 285 hp IO-520 airplanes that came before it are in the variants table with their own figures, and everything on this page that differs between them says so.
- +Six-seat capacity with double cargo doors — most versatile single-engine piston aircraft
- +176 KTAS cruise speed with 920 nm range — genuine cross-country performance
- +Excellent parts availability and mechanic familiarity — still in production as G36
- !Spar carry-through cracks are the single most significant structural concern for A36 models
- !Higher annual operating costs ($20k–$30k/year) and expensive overhauls limit affordability
- !Aging fuel cell bladders and landing gear actuators on mid-to-high-time airframes require planned replacement
Cirrus SR22
The Cirrus SR22 is the best-selling GA aircraft in the world, a distinction it has held for over two decades. Introduced in 2001, it pairs a Continental IO-550-N (310 hp) with the composite airframe, CAPS parachute and Garmin glass cockpit that define the modern Cirrus. Total SR22/SR22T production exceeds 8,000 aircraft.
- +180 KTAS cruise with 804 nm range at 75% power; strong cross-country platform
- +CAPS whole-airframe parachute provides unmatched safety margin
- +Excellent parts availability and Cirrus-authorized service center network
- !CAPS repack every ~10 years is the single largest recurring maintenance cost
- !Composite damage requires specialized certified technicians; repair costs can be substantial
- !Fixed gear and low-wing design poorly suited to backcountry or rough-field operations
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