Approach Category A

Of the 364 types on this site, 117 are in Approach Category A, the band for FAA reference approach speeds of under 91 kt. Speeds here run from 39 to 90 kt, with a median of 70 kt. By Design Group they split into 108 in Group I, 8 in Group II and 1 in Group III. By engine type: 99 piston aircraft, 17 turboprops and 1 jets. The largest makers in the category are Cessna (29), Piper (22) and Beech (13).

Each dot is one type, placed by its FAA reference approach speed and grouped by Design Group.

On the edges of the band

One type is 1 kt or less under the next category: the 303 Crusader.

All 117 types, highest reference speed first

Types in Approach Category A
Type	Reference speed	Design Group	Wingspan	Length
Cessna 303 Crusader	90 kt	I	39.0 ft	30.4 ft
Diamond DA42 Twin Star	88 kt	I	44.5 ft	28.1 ft
Beech 18	87 kt	II	49.7 ft	35.3 ft
Beech 18 (turboprop)	87 kt	I	46.0 ft	44.3 ft
Cessna 310	87 kt	I	36.9 ft	32.0 ft
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50	87 kt	I	38.7 ft	30.7 ft
Cessna 210 Centurion	85 kt	I	36.8 ft	28.2 ft
Daher TBM 900	85 kt	I	42.1 ft	35.2 ft
Pilatus PC-12	85 kt	II	53.3 ft	47.3 ft
Piper PA-23-150/160 Apache	85 kt	I	37.2 ft	27.6 ft
Socata TBM 850	85 kt	I	41.6 ft	34.9 ft
Cessna 401/402	83 kt	I	44.2 ft	36.4 ft
De Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7	83 kt	III	93.0 ft	80.5 ft
Gulfstream American GA-7 Cougar	82 kt	I	36.8 ft	28.7 ft
CASA C-212 Aviocar	81 kt	II	62.3 ft	53.0 ft
Lancair IV	81 kt	I	32.6 ft	25.0 ft
Lancair Propjet IV	81 kt	I	32.6 ft	25.0 ft
Piper PA-34 Seneca	81 kt	I	38.9 ft	28.6 ft
Beech 50 Twin Bonanza	80 kt	I	45.3 ft	31.5 ft
Piper PA-32R Lance / Saratoga	80 kt	I	36.2 ft	27.7 ft
Piper PA-32RT Turbo Lance II	80 kt	I	36.2 ft	27.7 ft
Bellanca Viking	79 kt	I	34.2 ft	26.3 ft
Cessna 208 Caravan	79 kt	II	52.1 ft	37.6 ft
Grumman G-164 Ag-Cat	79 kt	I	42.3 ft	25.9 ft
Lancair Evolution	79 kt	I	37.0 ft	30.0 ft
Beech 24 Sierra	78 kt	I	32.8 ft	25.7 ft
Cessna TTx (T240)	78 kt	I	36.1 ft	25.2 ft
Cirrus SR22	78 kt	I	38.3 ft	26.0 ft
Lancair Columbia 300	78 kt	I	36.1 ft	25.2 ft
Lancair Columbia 400	78 kt	I	36.1 ft	25.2 ft
Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six	78 kt	I	36.2 ft	27.6 ft
Aero Commander 500	77 kt	II	49.0 ft	36.8 ft
Air Tractor AT-503	77 kt	II	52.0 ft	27.0 ft
Beech Bonanza 36	77 kt	I	33.5 ft	27.5 ft
Cirrus SR22T	77 kt	I	38.3 ft	26.0 ft
Diamond DA40 Diamond Star	77 kt	I	39.2 ft	26.3 ft
Mooney M20C Ranger	77 kt	I	36.1 ft	26.8 ft
Mooney M20K / M20M	77 kt	I	36.1 ft	26.8 ft
Beech 76 Duchess	76 kt	I	38.0 ft	29.0 ft
Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche	76 kt	I	36.8 ft	25.2 ft
Cessna P210 (Riley Super P210)	75 kt	I	38.8 ft	28.2 ft
Piper PA-24 Comanche	75 kt	I	36.0 ft	24.8 ft
Piper PA-46 Malibu	75 kt	I	43.0 ft	28.9 ft
Piper PA-46 Malibu Meridian	75 kt	I	43.0 ft	29.6 ft
Socata TB 20 Trinidad	75 kt	I	32.7 ft	25.4 ft
Air Tractor AT-402	74 kt	II	51.1 ft	30.6 ft
Cirrus SR20	74 kt	I	38.3 ft	26.0 ft
De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	74 kt	II	65.0 ft	51.8 ft
Socata TBM 700	74 kt	I	41.6 ft	34.9 ft
Beech Turbo Bonanza 36	73 kt	I	37.8 ft	27.5 ft
Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion	73 kt	I	38.8 ft	28.2 ft
Piper PA-28R Arrow	73 kt	I	35.4 ft	24.7 ft
Piper PA-28RT Arrow IV	73 kt	I	35.4 ft	24.7 ft
Quest Kodiak 100	73 kt	I	45.0 ft	34.2 ft
Vulcan Air P68	73 kt	I	39.4 ft	31.3 ft
Beech Bonanza 35	72 kt	I	35.5 ft	25.2 ft
Pacific Aerospace P-750 XSTOL	72 kt	I	42.0 ft	38.8 ft
Beech 23 Sundowner	70 kt	I	32.8 ft	25.7 ft
Cessna 206 Stationair	70 kt	I	36.0 ft	28.3 ft
Piper PA-28 Cherokee	70 kt	I	35.0 ft	23.8 ft
Rockwell Commander 112	70 kt	I	32.8 ft	24.9 ft
Beech Bonanza 33	69 kt	I	33.5 ft	26.7 ft
Beech T-34C Turbo Mentor	69 kt	I	33.3 ft	28.7 ft
Grumman American AA1	69 kt	I	24.4 ft	19.3 ft
Grumman American AA5	69 kt	I	31.4 ft	22.0 ft
Piper PA-25 Pawnee	69 kt	I	36.2 ft	24.8 ft
Cessna 320 Skyknight	68 kt	I	36.9 ft	32.0 ft
Cessna 188	66 kt	I	41.7 ft	26.3 ft
Piper PA-44 Seminole	66 kt	I	38.6 ft	27.6 ft
Beech 19 Musketeer Sport	65 kt	I	32.8 ft	25.7 ft
Cessna 177 Cardinal RG	65 kt	I	35.5 ft	27.3 ft
Cessna 182 Skylane	65 kt	I	36.0 ft	29.0 ft
Socata TB 10 Tobago	65 kt	I	32.8 ft	25.4 ft
Cessna 180 Skywagon	64 kt	I	35.8 ft	25.6 ft
Cessna 185 Skywagon	64 kt	I	35.8 ft	25.6 ft
Cessna R182 Skylane RG	64 kt	I	36.0 ft	29.0 ft
Beech 77 Skipper	63 kt	I	30.0 ft	24.0 ft
Cessna 172 Skyhawk	62 kt	I	36.1 ft	27.2 ft
Cessna 172RG Cutlass RG	62 kt	I	36.1 ft	27.2 ft
North American T-28 Trojan	62 kt	I	40.1 ft	33.0 ft
Piper PA-28-201T Turbo Dakota	62 kt	I	35.0 ft	24.7 ft
Aviat Husky	60 kt	I	35.5 ft	22.6 ft
Piper PA-38 Tomahawk	60 kt	I	34.0 ft	23.1 ft
Cessna 170	59 kt	I	36.0 ft	25.0 ft
Diamond DV20 Katana	59 kt	I	35.7 ft	23.5 ft
ICON A5	59 kt	I	34.8 ft	23.0 ft
Stinson L-5 Sentinel	58 kt	I	34.0 ft	24.1 ft
Aeronca 7AC Champion	56 kt	I	33.5 ft	22.1 ft
Bellanca 8GCBC Scout	56 kt	I	36.2 ft	23.0 ft
Bellanca Citabria 7GCBC	56 kt	I	33.5 ft	22.1 ft
Cessna 152	56 kt	I	33.2 ft	24.1 ft
Cessna 175	56 kt	I	36.2 ft	25.0 ft
North American Navion	56 kt	I	33.4 ft	27.5 ft
North American T-6 Texan	56 kt	I	42.0 ft	29.0 ft
Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser	56 kt	I	35.5 ft	22.8 ft
Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer	56 kt	I	29.3 ft	20.5 ft
Cessna 150	55 kt	I	33.2 ft	23.9 ft
Ercoupe 415	55 kt	I	30.0 ft	20.8 ft
Piper PA-20 Pacer	55 kt	I	29.3 ft	20.5 ft
Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave	54 kt	I	38.8 ft	27.5 ft
Van’s RV-12	53 kt	I	26.8 ft	19.9 ft
Cessna 120	52 kt	I	33.3 ft	21.5 ft
Cessna 140	52 kt	I	33.3 ft	21.5 ft
Cessna 177 Cardinal	52 kt	I	35.5 ft	27.3 ft
Cessna 195	52 kt	I	36.2 ft	27.3 ft
Cessna 162 Skycatcher	51 kt	I	30.0 ft	22.8 ft
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver	51 kt	I	48.0 ft	30.3 ft
Flight Design CT	51 kt	I	28.1 ft	21.7 ft
Lake LA-4	51 kt	I	38.0 ft	24.9 ft
Taylorcraft BC	50 kt	I	36.0 ft	22.0 ft
Aeronca 11 Chief	49 kt	I	36.0 ft	20.8 ft
Globe GC-1 Swift	48 kt	I	29.3 ft	20.8 ft
Piper PA-18 Super Cub	48 kt	I	35.3 ft	22.5 ft
Luscombe 8 Silvaire	46 kt	I	35.0 ft	20.0 ft
Piper PA-11 Cub Special	46 kt	I	35.5 ft	23.9 ft
Maule M-5	43 kt	I	30.8 ft	23.5 ft
CZAW SportCruiser	39 kt	I	28.8 ft	21.3 ft

The reference approach speed is the FAA input for the category at maximum landing weight. Background: Aircraft Approach Categories A–E.

Source: FAA Aircraft Characteristics Database, October 2024 release. How we measure.