Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Enstrom Helicopter 280fx Shark vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Robinson Helicopters R44 Raven Ii
All five are light helicopters but sit in different niches. The Airbus H125 is a light single-engine utility helicopter, typically carrying one pilot plus up to five passengers; it’s optimized for lifting and hot-and-high work, with a practical range commonly in the mid–300 nautical mile class depending on tanks and payload. The Airbus H135 is a light twin-engine helicopter aimed at EMS, corporate, and training roles; it generally seats one or two pilots plus about five to six passengers, and offers a similar order-of-magnitude range (roughly 300+ nautical miles) with twin-engine redundancy. The Enstrom 280FX Shark is a piston-powered light single, usually configured for a pilot plus two to three passengers, with shorter typical range (around 200 nautical miles). The Leonardo AW109 Grand New is a light twin in the “premium” segment, often seating one or two pilots plus six to seven passengers and commonly offering longer legs (often around 400+ nautical miles, mission dependent). The Robinson R44 Raven II is a piston light single used heavily for training and private travel, carrying a pilot plus three passengers with typical range around the low–300 nautical mile range.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | AIRBUS H135 | Enstrom Helicopter 280FX Shark | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | ROBINSON R44 Raven II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 6.33 | $ 1.98 | $ 7.31 | $ 2.36 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Enstrom Helicopter | Leonardo | Robinson Helicopters |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | H135 | 280FX Shark | AW109 Grand New | R44 Raven II |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 342 | 229 | 464 | 300 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.66 | $ 0.91 | $ 0.59 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | — | 6 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 3124 | 930 | — | 995 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | — | 6 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 861 | $ 198 | $ 1,140 | $ 257 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Helionix | Gyro / Analog | EFIS | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 136 | 100 | 156 | 109 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $6,150,000 | $ 560,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $ 490,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 7 | — | 6 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 7 | — | 6 | — |
| Configuration | — | Green Interior | — | — | — |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2B2+ | HI0-360-F1AD | PW207C | IO-540 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | AvGas | JetFuel | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 4000 | 1500 | 4000 | 2200 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 660 | 225 | 735 | 245 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | — | 40 | 152 | 29.5 |
| TBO (yrs) | — | — | 12 | — | 12 |
| Fuel Delivery | — | — | Fuel Injected | — | Fuel Injected |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 33.5 | 29.3 | 42.5 | 38.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 12.6 | 9 | 11.5 | 10.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 34 | 32 | 35.5 | 33 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 173 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | — | 6 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | 2.5 |