Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Bell 407gxi

Airbus Helicopters’ H125, H130, and the Bell 407GXi sit in the light single‑engine utility/tour segment, but they emphasize different strengths. In broad category terms, the H125 is the most “workhorse” oriented, commonly chosen for utility, external load, and high/hot operations, while the H130 is tailored more toward passenger comfort and sightseeing with a quieter cabin-focused design. The Bell 407GXi is similarly positioned as a versatile light single, often favored for corporate, public service, and utility missions with a strong all‑around performance profile. For range, all three are in a broadly similar bracket for typical light singles, generally in the few-hundred‑nautical‑mile class depending on configuration, reserves, and payload. In practice, the H125 and 407GXi are often compared closely for mission flexibility, while the H130 tends to trade some utility emphasis for passenger-focused features. Passenger capacity typically peaks with the H130, which is commonly configured to carry a pilot plus up to seven passengers, whereas the H125 and Bell 407GXi are more commonly arranged around a pilot plus five to six passengers depending on interior and mission equipment.