Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Bell 429wlg Globalranger vs Bell407gxi vs Enstrom Helicotper 480b G vs Leonardo Aw119kx vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 600n vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer vs Robinson Helicopters R66
All are light helicopters, but they split into single‑engine utility types and twin‑engine passenger/IFR types. The Airbus H125, H130, Leonardo AW119Kx, Enstrom 480B‑G, MD 500E, MD 600N, and Robinson R66 are single‑engine light helicopters; they typically carry 4 to 7 passengers depending on seating layout, and generally offer “mid” ranges in the roughly 300–400+ nautical mile class, with the H125/AW119Kx often cited among the longer‑legged utility singles in this group. The H130 emphasizes cabin comfort and sightseeing with a higher usable passenger load than many singles, while the MD 500E and Enstrom skew toward smaller‑cabin utility roles; the MD 600N and R66 sit in the middle for capacity and range. The Airbus H135 and Bell 429WLG are light twins aimed at EMS, corporate, and IFR work; they usually seat about 6 to 8 passengers and have ranges broadly comparable to the singles, often around the 300+ nautical mile region, trading some payload/range efficiency for twin‑engine redundancy. The MD 902 Explorer is also a light twin typically in the 7–8 passenger class with similar mid‑range legs. The Leonardo SH09 is a modern single‑engine light utility design in the 4–6 passenger bracket with a mid‑range profile.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H130 | AIRBUS H135 | Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW119Kx | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 600N | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer | ROBINSON R66 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 5.00 | $ 6.33 | $ 6.05 | $ 6.76 | $4.48 | $ 2.95 | $ 4.06 | $ 7.54 | $ 3.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H130 | H135 | 429WLG GlobalRanger | AW119Kx | SH09 | MD 500E | MD 600N | MD 902 Exlplorer | R66 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 333 | 342 | 381 | 515 | 430 | 258 | 341 | 317 | 350 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.76 | $ 0.84 | $0.56 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.68 | $ 0.94 | $ 0.70 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2299 | 3124 | 2528 | — | — | 1483 | 2000 | 3125 | 1355 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 640 | $ 861 | $ 931 | $ 885 | $627 | $ 398 | $ 545 | $ 988 | $ 384 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G500H | Helionix | Bell BasiX-Pro | Garmin G1000H | EFIS | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 128 | 136 | 154 | 131 | 140 | 135 | 134 | 131 | 110 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $3,450,000 | $6,150,000 | $7,700,000 | $3,850,000 | $3,500,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $3,400,000 | $7,250,000 | $ 920,000 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin | ||||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 3 | 5 | 6 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Configuration | — | — | Green Interior | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Engine | ||||||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2B2+ | PW207D1 | PT6B-37A | HTS 900 | 250-C20B | 250-C47 | PW207E | RR300 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4500 | 5500 | 3500 | 2000 | 4000 | 2000 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 952 | 660 | 1100 | 917 | 1020 | 420 | 715 | 710 | 300 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 143 | — | 216.9 | 160 | — | 64 | 118 | 159 | 73.6 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | 76 | — | — | 35 | 41 | 65 | — |
| Dimensions | ||||||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 41.5 | 33.5 | 43 | 42.5 | — | 30.9 | 36.9 | 40.6 | 38.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 11.1 | 12.6 | 12.39 | 11.9 | — | 8.7 | 9.7 | 12 | 11.4 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 35.1 | 34 | 36 | 35.5 | — | 26.4 | 27.5 | 33.9 | 33 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 173 | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | 50 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | — | 26.37 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | — | 6.58 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | 18 |