Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Cessna Caravan vs Cessna Grand Caravan Ex vs Daher Kodiak 100 Series Iii vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 530f
The Airbus Helicopters H125, H130, Bell 505 JetRanger X, MD 500E, and MD 530F are light single‑engine helicopters, generally used for utility, tourism, and short-haul point‑to‑point work. In this group, the H125 and MD 530F lean most toward high‑performance utility and hot‑and‑high operations; the H130 emphasizes passenger comfort and quiet sightseeing; the Bell 505 targets modern training and light transport; and the MD 500E is typically a lighter, agile utility platform. Typical practical ranges cluster roughly around 300–350 nautical miles, and passenger loads are usually about 4–6 passengers plus a pilot, with the H130 often configured toward the higher end of that range. The Cessna Caravan, Cessna Grand Caravan EX, Daher Kodiak 100 Series III are single‑engine turboprop fixed‑wing utility aircraft aimed at longer regional missions and higher payload. They commonly offer about 9 passengers (plus crew) and roughly 700–1,000+ nautical miles of range depending on configuration, with the Grand Caravan EX generally offering improved hot‑and‑high/payload performance over the baseline Caravan, and the Kodiak emphasizing rugged short‑field capability.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H130 | Bell 505 JetRanger X | Cessna Caravan | Cessna Grand Caravan EX | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 530F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 5.00 | $ 3.53 | $ 3.07 | $ 3.15 | $ 2.95 | $ 3.59 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Cessna | Cessna | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H130 | 505 JetRanger X | Caravan | Grand Caravan EX | MD 500E | MD 530F |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 333 | 306 | 1070 | 964 | 258 | 216 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.38 | $ 0.39 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.90 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | — | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2299 | 1500 | 3305 | 3332 | 1483 | 1509 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 640 | $ 441 | $ 571 | $ 614 | $ 398 | $ 480 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G500H | Garmin G1000H | Garmin G1000 NXi | Garmin G1000 NXi | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 128 | 125 | 186 | 195 | 135 | 134 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $3,450,000 | $1,445,000 | $2,355,000 | $2,695,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $ 3,400,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | — | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Lavatory | — | — | — | No | No | — | — |
| Cargo Door | — | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | — | — | Un-Pressurized | Un-Pressurized | — | — |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | — | No | No | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2R | PT6A-114A | PT6A-140 | 250-C20B | 250-C30 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | — | — | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 5000 | 4000 | 3600 | 4000 | 3500 | 2000 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 952 | 505 | 675 | 867 | 420 | 650 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 143 | 84.85 | — | 335 | 64 | 64 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 32.3 | — | — | 35 | 35 |
| Flat Rating | — | — | — | ISA + 31 | ISA + 24 | — | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 41.5 | 42.48 | 37.6 | 41.6 | 30.9 | 32.2 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 11.1 | 10.65 | 15 | 15.1 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 35.1 | 37 | — | — | 26.4 | 27.5 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 6.51 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 4.66 | 5.4 | 5.4 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 2.75 | 4.5 | 4.5 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 7.17 | 12.8 | 16.8 | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 137 | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | — | — | 52.1 | 52.1 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | 32 | 32 | — | — |