Aircraft model
CESSNA 150M
Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
The final 150, built 1975-1977, identified by the taller swept fin with the extended dorsal. It is the most refined version of the type and also the heaviest, which matters more than the refinements. The mission is unchanged: ab-initio training and cheap local flying in a two-seat aeroplane that is very hard to hurt yourself in.
The weight is the thing a buyer must understand. With full fuel a typical 150M carries roughly 350 lb of people — that is two 175 lb adults with nothing else, and many equipped examples are worse. Instructors routinely fly them with partial fuel for this reason. Beyond that it is the same cheap, sturdy, well-supported aeroplane as every other 150, with the O-200's modest thirst and straightforward maintenance. It is worth checking whether a candidate has long-range tanks, because those improve the trip-making case considerably while making the weight problem worse. If you need to carry two adults and bags, buy a 172 instead and accept the higher running cost.
What it is
| Seats | 2 |
|---|---|
| Landing gear | tricycle |
| Engines | 1 |
| Engine | Continental O-200-A |
| Horsepower | 100 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1975 |
| Production end | 1977 |
| Endorsements required | — |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 102 KTAS |
|---|---|
| Range | 350 nm |
| Service ceiling | 12,650 ft |
| Climb rate | 670 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 42 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | 1,385 ft |
| Landing over 50 ft | 1,075 ft |
Load and fuel
| Seats | 2 |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 489 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 354 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 1,600 lb |
| Empty weight | 1,111 lb |
| Usable fuel | 22.5 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 5.6 gal/h |
Cost of ownership
| Price, low | $32,000 |
|---|---|
| Price, high | $90,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,800 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $24,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $34,000 |
The fleet and its record
| Registered, all time | 3,310 |
|---|---|
| Active fleet | 1,438 |
| Median year built | 1975.0 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 42 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 6 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years | 29.21 per 1,000 active · base 1,438 active |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active | 17.39 per 1,000 active · base 1,438 active |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 418 |
| Transfers per 100 active | 29.07 per 100 active · base 1,438 active |
| Airworthiness directives | 9 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 |
| Rate confidence | ok |
Peer scores
A score runs from 0 to 10 within the model's peer class: a position, not a grade, and the six are never added together.
| Peer class | Fixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 1-2 seats |
|---|---|
| Accident record | 6.8 of 10 · class median 25 · 181 models in class |
| Severity | 3.5 of 10 · class median 5 |
| Access | 8.8 of 10 · class median 987 |
| Support | 9.8 of 10 · class median 72 |
| Liquidity | 8.2 of 10 · class median 20.59 |