Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Bell 407gxi vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Aw119kx vs Leonardo Sh09
Aircraft comparisons usually start with category. Small piston singles and twins are built for short hops, training, and personal travel; they trade speed and cabin space for low operating cost and access to small airfields. Turboprops sit in the middle: they handle shorter regional routes efficiently, often from less-developed airports, and offer more payload and reliability than pistons. Regional jets are optimized for higher-speed routes between smaller cities, with tighter cabins but faster block times. Narrow-body airliners, such as typical single-aisle jets, dominate domestic and short-to-medium international flying, balancing capacity and range with high frequency. Wide-body airliners serve long-haul markets; they carry more people and cargo, fly farther, and provide more cabin classes, but require higher demand and larger airports. Range generally increases with size and fuel capacity, but efficiency and mission matter: turboprops can be economical at short ranges, while jets excel as distance and speed requirements grow. Passenger capacity follows a similar pattern, from 1–10 in light aircraft, roughly 30–80 in many regional types, about 150–240 in common narrow-bodies, and 250–400+ in wide-bodies designed for long-haul and high-density routes.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | Bell 407GXi | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 4.43 | $ 7.31 | $4.48 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | 407GXi | AW109 Grand New | SH09 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 337 | 464 | 430 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.91 | $0.56 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2300 | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 589 | $ 1,140 | $627 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G1000H NXI | EFIS | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 133 | 156 | 140 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $3,225,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $3,500,000 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | 7 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arriel 2D | M250-C47E/4 | PW207C | HTS 900 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 3500 | 4000 | 5500 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 862 | 735 | 1020 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 127.8 | 152 | — |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 46 | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 41.4 | 42.5 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 10.2 | 11.5 | — |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 35 | 35.5 | — |
| Width (ft) | — | 25.4 | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 5 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 3.9 | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 125 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 16 | — | — |