Under 700 miles, six or fewer
The Epic.
Sea Island, Hilton Head, Highlands, Nashville, Charlotte, the Panhandle, Orlando. Faster door to door than a jet because it lands closer, and among the lowest costs per trip in its speed class.
Buyer’s guide · ΛtlΛntΛ chΛrter
Epic E1000 vs light jetvs PC-12 vs King Air.
We fly the Epic E1000 GX and we arrange everything else, so we have no reason to oversell either. Here is how the airplanes people price against each other actually compare, using the manufacturers’ own numbers, and which one we would put you on for which trip.
The numbers
Manufacturer figures, side by side.
| Aircraft | Type | Max cruise | Ceiling | Range | Takeoff | Legroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epic E1000 GX | Turboprop | 333 kt | 34,000 ft | 1,560 nm | 2,254 ft | 31″ |
| TBM 960 | Turboprop | 330 kt | 31,000 ft | 1,730 nm | 2,535 ft | 18″ |
| PC-12 NGX | Turboprop | 290 kt | 30,000 ft | 1,765 nm | 2,485 ft | 29″ |
| King Air 260 | Turboprop | 310 kt | 35,000 ft | 1,720 nm | 2,111 ft | 27″ |
| Citation M2 Gen2 | Light jet | 404 kt | 41,000 ft | 1,550 nm | 3,210 ft | — |
| Citation CJ3+ | Light jet | 416 kt | 45,000 ft | 2,040 nm | 3,180 ft | — |
| Phenom 300E | Light jet | 464 kt | 45,000 ft | 2,010 nm | 3,209 ft | — |
Manufacturer-published maximums, checked September 2026. Day-to-day cruise is lower for every aircraft here — a PC-12 is typically flown around 265 knots in the low twenties, the Epic at 333 knots at 34,000 feet. Takeoff is over a 50-foot obstacle or the manufacturer’s stated field length at maximum weight, sea level, standard day. Range conditions vary by manufacturer. Legroom is club-seat knee room — the Epic’s is published (Business Jet Traveler); the other turboprops are our own approximate figures. Jets vary by configuration and are not shown. Real-world performance depends on weight, weather and runway.
The short Λnswer
Which one, for which trip.
Seven to nine passengers
PC-12 or King Air 350.
More seats and a bigger door for golf bags and gear. We arrange one and stay your point of contact. About 40 to 50 knots slower than the Epic.
700 to 1,500 miles, or coast to coast
Light or midsize jet.
Phenom 300, CJ3, Citation XLS and up. Time saved grows with distance; so does the runway they need, which decides where you land.
Same-day there and back
The Epic, most days.
Two legs, one crew, one airplane that was already at PDK. Wheels up within an hour of the call based on availability; jets usually reposition first.
WhΛt the tΛble does not show
Where you land decides how long the trip takes.
A light jet is faster in the air and slower on the ground: it needs 3,000 feet or more of runway, so on a great many Southeast trips it lands at the regional airport forty minutes from where you are going. The Epic E1000 GX uses about 2,000 feet and goes to the small field at the end of the road. Over 300 miles the jet saves a few minutes aloft and gives most of it back in the car.
Then there is cost. The Epic burns a fraction of a jet’s fuel, which is why its hourly rate sits well below the light jets and why an Anchor Card hour goes as far as it does. When your trip needs a jet, we source the right one from a certificated carrier and you still deal with one person.
The Epic in detail · Jets we arrange · Closest airport to you · How pricing works
Questions
Asked before every first booking.
Flights on the Epic are operated by ParkAir, LLC under FAA Part 135 certificate PRKA774T. Other aircraft are operated by other certificated carriers and arranged by ParkAir, LLC as an air charter broker.
Is the Epic E1000 as fast as a jet?
Not quite, and it is not meant to be. The Epic cruises at 333 knots; light jets run roughly 400 to 460. On a 300-mile leg like Atlanta to Sea Island or Hilton Head that is a few minutes' difference once climb and descent are included. On a 600-mile leg to South Florida it is closer to twenty minutes.
Why charter a turboprop instead of a jet?
Runway, cost and destination. The Epic needs about 2,000 feet of runway, so it lands at the small field next to the house, the course or the marina instead of the big airport an hour away. It burns a fraction of a jet's fuel, which is why its hourly rate sits well below the light jets. For trips under about 700 miles it is usually the better answer.
Epic E1000 or Pilatus PC-12?
The PC-12 carries more people and cargo through a bigger door; the Epic is about 40 knots faster, flies higher, and is the roomier cabin per seat. Six or fewer passengers going somewhere in a hurry: Epic. Eight people, or a lot of gear: PC-12, and we will arrange one.
Epic E1000 or King Air?
The King Air is a twin, which some clients prefer on principle; it carries more and lands longer. The Epic is faster on one engine than the King Air 260 is on two, with a lower operating cost. For a party of five or fewer, the Epic wins on time and price; for seven or more, the King Air 350 is the right airplane and we source it.
Epic E1000 or TBM 960?
Same speed class, both single-engine turboprops. The difference is the cabin: the Epic's is wider and longer with 31 inches of legroom to the TBM's 18, and it carries five in the back comfortably where the TBM carries four.
Is a single-engine turboprop safe for charter?
The Epic's PT6A comes from the most proven turbine engine family in general aviation, with hundreds of millions of flight hours behind it. We operate it under FAA Part 135 as a Wyvern Registered Operator, on the same kind of maintenance and training program a jet gets. Single-engine turboprop charter has been approved in the United States since 1997.
When should I take a jet instead?
More than six passengers, legs beyond about 1,000 miles, a hard need for a lavatory with a door, or a stand-up cabin. We arrange every class from very light jet to ultra long range, and Anchor Card funds apply to those flights too.