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Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Beechcraft Kingair 250 vs Bell 407gxi

The Airbus Helicopters H125 and Bell 407GXi are single‑engine light utility helicopters suited to missions where simplicity and strong hot‑and‑high performance matter. The H125 typically carries a pilot plus about five passengers in a standard configuration and offers a practical range on the order of roughly 330–360 nautical miles depending on fit and reserves. The Bell 407GXi is in a similar category, commonly seating a pilot plus about five passengers, with a broadly comparable practical range around roughly 300–340 nautical miles. The Airbus Helicopters H135 is a twin‑engine light helicopter aimed more at EMS, corporate, and public‑service roles where redundancy, low vibration, and quieter operation are priorities. It generally accommodates a pilot plus about five to six passengers (or a medical interior), and its typical range is often in the roughly 330–350 nautical mile class. The Beechcraft King Air 260 is a pressurized twin‑turboprop fixed‑wing aircraft optimized for faster, longer point‑to‑point travel. It commonly seats six to nine passengers (plus crew) and has substantially greater range, typically around roughly 1,300–1,700 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves.

SpecAIRBUS H125AIRBUS H135Bell 407GXi
Summary
Cockpit222
DOC / nm$ 4.61$ 6.33$ 4.43
Min Crew111
Total Seats696
Flight RulesVFRIFRVFR
ManufacturerAirbus HelicoptersAirbus HelicoptersBell
Aircraft NameH125H135407GXi
CertificationFAA / EASAFAA / EASAFAA / EASA
Max Range (nm)341342337
DOC / nm / Seat$ 0.77$ 0.79$ 0.74
Max Cabin Seats575
OEM VerificationVERIFIEDUn-VerifiedVERIFIED
Useful Load (lbs)218931242300
Standard Cabin Seats475
Direct Operating Cost$ 627$ 861$ 589
Flight Deck (Base Spec)Garmin G500HHelionixGarmin G1000H NXI
Max Cruise Speed (ktas)136136133
Base Aircraft Price (USD)$3,200,000$6,150,000$3,225,000
Cabin
Cockpit222
Min Crew111
Total Seats696
Max Cabin Seats575
Standard Cabin Seats475
ConfigurationGreen Interior
Engine
FADECYesYesYes
ModelArriel 2DArrius 2B2+M250-C47E/4
Fuel TypeJetFuelJetFuelJetFuel
TBO (hrs)500040003500
Horsepower847660862
No. of Engines121
Fuel Capacity (gal)143127.8
Fuel Burn (gph)46
Dimensions
Length (ft)42.533.541.4
Overall Height (ft)1012.610.2
Rotor Diameter (ft)36.13435
Cabin Volume (cu. ft)173125
Width (ft)25.4
Cabin Width (ft)5
Cabin Height (ft)3.9
Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft)16