The Aircraft That Never Retired

Most aircraft models run for a decade or two and quietly disappear. The Cessna 206 has been rolling out of factories — with only one brief pause — since 1964. New 2025 and 2026 Turbo Stationair HDs are being built and sold right now. That is over 60 years of continuous relevance, and it didn't happen by accident.

The 206 is not the fastest, the most efficient, or the most sophisticated aircraft at any ramp. What it is, is arguably the most useful single-engine piston ever built. Floats, amphibious conversion, cargo door, six seats, high useful load, powerful engine, and enough cabin volume to fit a stretched-out adult or strap down equipment that wouldn't fit in anything else short of a turboprop. Bush pilots love it. Jump operators run fleets of them. Missionaries deployed them to remote airstrips for decades. Air ambulance operators still do.

Browse Cessna T206H Stationair listings on Sprinkle →

With 1,472 transactions in our database, the 206 is one of the most actively traded aircraft in the used market. Here is what those sales reveal.

A Brief History of a Complicated Naming System

Cessna has never made it easy to track the 206 family. Over 60 years, the model wore a bewildering number of suffixes. Understanding them is the first step to buying the right one.

The original 206 launched in 1964 with a Continental IO-520-A making 285 hp. It was a utility version of the 210 Centurion: fixed gear, a wide cabin, and a large cargo door on the right rear. Simple, rugged, practical.

From there, the naming fractured:

P206 / P206A–E (1965–1971): Pressurised Super Skylane variant, six seats, Continental TSIO-520. A passenger-focused alternative.
U206 / U206A–G (1966–1986): The workhorse utility model. "U" for utility. Continental IO-520 (normally aspirated) or turbocharged TU206 variants. This is what most floatplane operators and bush fliers ran.
TU206 / TU206A–G: Turbocharged versions of the U206. Add a "T" prefix and expect a turbocharger.
Production gap (1986–1997): Cessna shut down single-engine piston production entirely during this period. No new 206s were built for 11 years.
206H / T206H (1998–present): The modern era. Cessna restarted production with the 206H (Lycoming IO-540, 300 hp) and T206H (Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A, 310 hp). Garmin G1000 avionics eventually replaced the steam gauges. The current Turbo Stationair HD adds composite fairings and upgraded interior.

For buyers, the practical split is between vintage (pre-1986 U206 family) and modern (post-1998 206H/T206H). The gap years (1986–1997) produced nothing; any aircraft from those years was built before the shutdown.

What You Will Pay: Price Guide by Era

Our database covers 1,472 sold transactions. Here is what the market actually looks like by era:

Era	Sales	Average Price	Range
1960s	239	£186,521	$47k – $489k
1970s	352	$223,209	$35k – $1.6M
1980s	120	$509,838	$90k – varies
1990s	92	$367,818	$160k – $930k
2000s	483	$478,552	$195k – $835k
2010s	131	$774,310	$399k – $8.3M
2020s	51	$931,838	$775k – $1.295M

The jump between 1970s and modern pricing reflects two things: production restart economics (new Cessna single-engine pistons now cost nearly a million dollars) and the flood of early utility models still circulating at much lower prices.

By variant, the picture sharpens:

T206H STATIONAIR HD (newest, G1000, composite): avg $869k (30 sales)
T206H Turbo Stationair (modern turbo): avg $579k–$631k (318 sales)
206H STATIONAIR (modern NA): avg $504k (96 sales)
206 STATIONAIR / 206G (vintage NA): avg $282k–$284k (144 sales)
U206G (vintage utility, often floatplane): avg $230k–$350k depending on condition and modifications
TU206F (older turbo): avg $168k (21 sales)
P206 Super Skylane (passenger variant): avg $209k (20 sales)

The entry point for a serviceable vintage U206 is roughly $145,000–$180,000. A low-time modern T206H will set you back $500,000–$700,000. A new-build Turbo Stationair HD is pushing $1 million.

See the Cessna 206H Stationair price guide on Sprinkle →

What Is on the Market Right Now

At time of writing, active inventory spans the full price range:

2022 T206H Stationair HD — $895,000, 155 TT, Scottsdale, AZ
2019 T206H Stationair HD — $875,000, 1,163 TT, Midland, TX
2008 U206H — $599,000, 1,350 TT, Placerville, CA
2006 206H Stationair — $510,000, 5,406 TT, Plymouth
1981 TU206 — $375,000, 1,290 TT, Hawkesbury
1968 U206 Stationair — $309,900, 6,585 TT, La Grande, OR
1966 TU206A — $230,000, 7,957 TT, Sidney, BC

The 2026 model year is also available new from Cessna dealers. There are also 10 active email alerts on Sprinkle from buyers specifically watching for 206s — a modest number that reflects this aircraft's specialist audience.

Browse all Cessna 206 Stationair listings →

Performance and Operating Costs

Normally aspirated (206H, IO-540)

Cruise: 143 knots at 6,500 ft, 75% power
Fuel burn: 15–16 GPH at cruise
Service ceiling: 16,000 ft
TBO: 2,000 hours
Seats: 6
Fuel capacity: 88 gallons useable

Turbocharged (T206H, TIO-540-AJ1A, 310 hp)

Cruise: up to 164 knots at 20,000 ft, 75% power
Fuel burn: 17–18 GPH at cruise
TBO: 1,800 hours
Useful load: approximately 1,500–1,600 lbs depending on configuration

The turbo advantage is altitude flexibility and better performance in hot-and-high conditions — useful if you are operating in mountainous terrain or doing long trips above the weather. For most utility operations at lower altitudes, the normally aspirated 206H is cheaper to run and maintain.

Ownership costs (T206H, owner-operated, 200 hours/year)

Based on industry cost modelling:

Fuel (at $6/gallon, 17 GPH average): ~$20,400/year
Engine overhaul reserve (TIO-540, ~$60,000 at 1,800 TBO): ~$33/hour
Annual inspection: $3,000–$8,000 depending on squawks
Insurance: $5,000–$12,000 depending on hours, coverage, and hull value
Hangar: $6,000–$18,000 depending on location
Total operating budget: $120,000–$160,000/year at 200 hours/year

That works out to roughly $600–$800 per hour all-in. Expensive by piston single standards, but this is an aircraft that earns its keep — charter, utility work, and float operations can all generate revenue that offsets the fixed cost.

The Float and Amphibious Option

This is where the 206 pulls away from nearly every other piston single. The wide, flat-bottomed fuselage and fixed gear (on the vintage models) make it a natural floatplane platform, and the high useful load means it can actually carry meaningful payload on floats.

The dominant float installation is the Wipline 3450 from Wipaire, available in either straight (seaplane only) or amphibious configuration. The amphibious version adds retractable gear, giving you access to both water and hard-surface runways. Gross weight on floats with Wipline installation reaches 3,792 lbs approved for takeoff and landing.

Other popular options include the Wipline 3730 and EDO 3500 floats. Budget $100,000–$180,000 for a quality amphibious conversion on a vintage U206G.

Float-equipped 206s command significant premiums in the used market. A well-maintained TU206G amphibian can fetch $350,000–$500,000+ depending on float condition, avionics, and airframe time. They sell to a specific audience — Alaskan operators, Canadian bush pilots, sport fishing lodges — and that audience knows exactly what a good one is worth.

What to Watch in a Pre-Purchase Inspection

The 206 has accumulated a modest but meaningful AD history over 60 years. Key items to verify:

Seat hardware: An AD addresses seat base/back attach brackets failing at the weld. Verify all seats have been inspected and modified per the directive. The 206's rear seats carry passengers in a utility aircraft; this one matters.

Control wheels: Older plastic control wheels (part number 0513166 series) are known to crack and fail due to temperature cycling during manufacture. If the aircraft has original control wheels, confirm they have been replaced or are free of cracks.

Fuel lines: The FAA issued a directive after reports of loose fuel lines connected to the fuel servo and flow transducer. At least one in-flight engine failure on a 206H resulted. Verify all connections are secure.

Horizontal stabiliser brackets: Certain 206H and T206H airframes had manufacturing defects in the horizontal stabiliser attachment reinforcement brackets (missing seam welds). Confirm this AD has been addressed on any modern 206H/T206H you are considering.

Beyond ADs, the usual pre-purchase priorities apply: corrosion check (particularly on aircraft that have operated on floats or in coastal environments), engine compression, logbook continuity, and avionics condition. On high-time vintage aircraft, inspect the cargo door hinges and seals carefully — they take a beating in utility service.

The Cessna Owner Organization maintains a complete list of current 206 ADs with links to the FAA documents.

Who Should (and Should Not) Buy a 206

Buy one if:

You need six seats and utility payload in a single-engine aircraft
You want a floatplane or amphibian platform with proven aftermarket support
You are doing charter, backcountry, or remote access flying where the cargo door and high useful load are operational necessities
You want an aircraft that will still have parts, maintenance expertise, and resale value in 20 years

Think carefully if:

You are primarily flying cross-country IFR in a hurry — a Mooney, Bonanza, or SR22 will beat it on speed and efficiency
You are operating solo or with one passenger most of the time — you are carrying a lot of airframe for that mission
You are budget-constrained on operating costs — the 206 is a thirsty, expensive aircraft to keep current
You were hoping to find a turboprop alternative for the same money — the 206 is priced like a turboprop at the modern end of the market, without turboprop performance

Browse Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair listings on Sprinkle →

The Bottom Line

The Cessna 206 has survived 60 years of production because it occupies a specific niche that nothing else fills as well. When you need to carry six people or a large payload out of a short strip, over water, or into the backcountry — and you need it in a piston single with reliable parts supply and a huge service network — the 206 is still the answer.

1,472 transactions in our database confirm it trades actively. The price range is enormous: from $145,000 for a working vintage U206 to $979,000 for a nearly-new T206H HD. The right choice depends entirely on the mission. Know what you are buying the aircraft for before you decide which era and variant makes sense.

For most utility buyers, the sweet spot is a well-maintained 2000s-era T206H at $450,000–$600,000 — modern enough for Garmin glass, old enough to have depreciated past the worst of the new-price premium, and with enough useful life remaining to justify the operating costs.