Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Leonardo Aw109 Trekker vs Leonardo Aw119kx vs Leonardo Aw609 Tiltrotor vs Md Helicopters Md 500e
Across categories, the Airbus H125, Bell 505, and MD 500E are light single‑engine helicopters; the Leonardo AW119Kx is a higher‑performance light single; the Airbus H135 and Leonardo AW109 Trekker are light twin‑engine helicopters; and the Leonardo AW609 is a twin‑engine tiltrotor bridging helicopter and small fixed‑wing roles. In typical range terms, the MD 500E and Bell 505 sit in the shorter-to-mid light-single bracket (roughly 300–400 nm), the H125 and AW119Kx often stretch farther in the light-single class (about 330–420 nm depending on tanks and reserves), and the H135 and AW109 Trekker usually deliver mid-to-higher light-twin ranges (commonly around 330–500 nm with options). The AW609 generally leads on point‑to‑point range (often cited around 750+ nm), reflecting tiltrotor cruise efficiency. For passenger capacity, the Bell 505 and MD 500E are commonly configured around 4 passengers; the H125 and AW119Kx typically carry about 5–6; the H135 and AW109 Trekker often seat about 6–7; and the AW609 is generally arranged for about 6–9 passengers.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H135 | Bell 505 JetRanger X | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Trekker | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW119Kx | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW609 Tiltrotor | MD Helicopters MD 500E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 6.33 | $ 3.53 | $ 7.40 | $ 6.76 | — | $ 2.95 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 8 | — | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | — | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H135 | 505 JetRanger X | AW109 Trekker | AW119Kx | AW609 Tiltrotor | MD 500E |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | — | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 342 | 306 | 450 | 515 | — | 258 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.84 | — | $ 0.74 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | — | 6 | 6 | — | 3 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | — | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 3124 | 1500 | — | — | — | 1483 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | — | 2 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 861 | $ 441 | $ 1,125 | $ 885 | — | $ 398 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Helionix | Garmin G1000H | Genesys Aerosystems | Garmin G1000H | — | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 136 | 125 | 152 | 131 | — | 135 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $6,150,000 | $1,445,000 | $6,950,000 | $3,850,000 | $20,000,000 | $ 2,750,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 8 | — | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | — | 6 | 6 | — | 3 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | — | 2 |
| Configuration | — | Green Interior | — | — | — | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | — | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2B2+ | Arrius 2R | PW207C | PT6B-37A | — | 250-C20B |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | — | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4500 | — | 3500 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 660 | 505 | 735 | 917 | — | 420 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | — | 84.85 | 152 | 160 | — | 64 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 32.3 | — | — | — | 35 |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 33.5 | 42.48 | 42.5 | 42.5 | — | 30.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 12.6 | 10.65 | 11.5 | 11.9 | — | 8.7 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 34 | 37 | 35.5 | 35.5 | — | 26.4 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 173 | 137 | — | — | — | — |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 6.51 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 4.66 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 2.75 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 7.17 | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 18 | — | — | — | — |