Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Leonardo Aw109 Trekker vs Leonardo Aw609 Tiltrotor
The Airbus H125 and Bell 505 are single‑engine light helicopters typically used for utility and tourism; they generally carry about 4–6 passengers (plus pilot) and offer moderate range, roughly in the 500–700 km class depending on configuration. Moving up, the Airbus H135 and Bell 429 are twin‑engine light helicopters oriented to EMS, corporate, and law enforcement; they usually seat about 6–8 passengers and tend to have similar or slightly better practical range than the single‑engine types, often around 550–750 km. The Leonardo AW109 Trekker is a twin‑engine light/intermediate helicopter with a larger cabin and higher cruise performance; it commonly carries about 6–8 passengers and can stretch range toward the upper end of this group, often around 700–900 km with typical reserves. The Leonardo AW609 is a tiltrotor rather than a conventional helicopter, combining vertical takeoff with airplane‑like cruise; it generally seats about 6–9 passengers and offers by far the longest range in this set, roughly around 1,000+ km, along with much higher cruise speed.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H135 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | Bell 505 JetRanger X | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Trekker | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW609 Tiltrotor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 6.33 | $ 6.29 | $ 3.53 | $ 7.40 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | — |
| Flight Rules | VFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | — |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H135 | 429 GlobalRanger | 505 JetRanger X | AW109 Trekker | AW609 Tiltrotor |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | — |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 342 | 365 | 306 | 450 | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.93 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | 6 | — | 6 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | — |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 3124 | 2535 | 1500 | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 861 | $ 931 | $ 441 | $ 1,125 | — |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Helionix | Bell BasiX-Pro | Garmin G1000H | Genesys Aerosystems | — |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 136 | 148 | 125 | 152 | — |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $6,150,000 | $7,500,000 | $1,445,000 | $6,950,000 | $20,000,000 |
| Cabin | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | 6 | — | 6 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | — |
| Configuration | — | Green Interior | — | — | — | — |
| Engine | ||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel | Yes | — |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2B2+ | PW207D1 | Arrius 2R | PW207C | — |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | — |
| Horsepower | 847 | 660 | 1100 | 505 | 735 | — |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | — | 216.9 | 84.85 | 152 | — |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 76 | 32.3 | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 33.5 | 43 | 42.48 | 42.5 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 12.6 | 13.25 | 10.65 | 11.5 | — |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 34 | 36 | 37 | 35.5 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 173 | 130 | 137 | — | — |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 26.37 | 6.51 | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 5 | 4.66 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 | 2.75 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | 7.17 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 74 | 18 | — | — |