Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Airbus Helicopters H175 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Bell 525 Relentless
The Airbus H125 and H130 are light single‑engine helicopters. They fit utility and tourism roles with relatively modest range and typically carry one pilot plus about five to six passengers, with the H130 generally optimized for quieter, higher‑comfort passenger transport. The Airbus H135 and H145 are light twin‑engine helicopters, commonly used for EMS, law enforcement, and corporate transport; they offer greater redundancy and usually seat one to two pilots with roughly six to eight passengers, with the H145 generally providing more cabin volume and payload. The Airbus H175 is a medium twin designed for offshore and higher‑end transport, offering substantially longer range than the light twins and typically accommodating around 12–16 passengers depending on configuration. Bell’s 429 GlobalRanger sits in the light twin class alongside H135/H145, with comparable mission flexibility, range, and a typical capacity around six to eight passengers. The Bell 525 Relentless is a larger, super‑medium twin aimed at offshore and executive missions, with longer range than light twins and a typical capacity in the mid‑teens, broadly comparable in passenger category to aircraft like the H175.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H130 | AIRBUS H135 | AIRBUS H145 | AIRBUS H175 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | Bell 525 Relentless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 5.00 | $ 6.33 | $ 9.31 | $ 13.53 | $ 6.29 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 18 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Bell |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H130 | H135 | H145 | H175 | 429 GlobalRanger | 525 Relentless |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 333 | 342 | 352 | 573 | 365 | 580 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.75 | $ 0.79 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 16 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2299 | 3124 | 4200 | 6797 | 2535 | 6675 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 16 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 640 | $ 861 | $ 1,210 | $ 2,016 | $ 931 | — |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G500H | Helionix | EFIS | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | Garmin G5000H |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 128 | 136 | 130 | 149 | 148 | 160 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $3,450,000 | $6,150,000 | $10,200,000 | $17,900,000 | $7,500,000 | $15,000,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 18 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 16 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 16 |
| Configuration | — | — | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2B2+ | Arriel 2E | PT6A-67E | PW207D1 | CT7-2F1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 3500 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 952 | 660 | 894 | 1775 | 1100 | 1800 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 143 | — | — | — | 216.9 | 641 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | — | — | 76 | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 41.5 | 33.5 | 44.8 | 59.2 | 43 | 61.58 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 11.1 | 12.6 | 13 | 17.5 | 13.25 | 18.18 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 35.1 | 34 | 36.1 | 48.5 | 36 | 54.5 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 173 | 166 | 423.8 | 130 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | 46.8 | 81.9 | 74 | 128 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 26.37 | 25.77 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 7.58 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4.5 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 6.58 | 15.5 |