Yeah I know what you mean. I'm doing this as a favor to a friend, and hearing the owner's desires with his budget is interesting to say the least. Makes me wonder how he'll handle unexpected maintenance that pops up.

Example, he wants to not wear headsets. In a piston airplane. I don't know many pistons that are that quiet.

I was thinking a Seneca might be decent. A II or III. Relatively low fuel burns, well supported, aft door, reasonable speed for the longer hops without being too brutal on the engines on the short hops.