Airbus Helicopters H125 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Robinson Helicopters R22 Beta Ii vs Robinson Helicopters R44 Raven Ii
By category, the Airbus H125 and MD Helicopters MD 500E are light single‑engine utility helicopters, typically favored for rugged work and high/hot performance. The Robinson R22 Beta II and R44 Raven II are light single‑engine piston helicopters aimed more at training and personal/light commercial use, with the R44 being the more capable step up. The Bell 429 GlobalRanger is a light twin‑engine helicopter positioned for EMS, corporate, and IFR-capable utility missions. The Leonardo AW109 Grand New is a light twin‑engine, faster executive/EMS-oriented platform with higher performance than most in this group. The Leonardo SH09 is a light single‑engine turbine helicopter designed for modern private and light utility roles. On range, the AW109 Grand New and Bell 429 generally sit toward the higher end among these, the H125 and SH09 are mid-to-upper depending on tanks and mission, the R44 and MD 500E are typically mid-range, and the R22 is usually the shortest-range. On passenger capacity, the R22 carries 2 total, the R44 typically 4, the MD 500E commonly 5, the H125 and SH09 commonly around 6, and the Bell 429 and AW109 Grand New typically around 7–8.
| Spec | AIRBUS H125 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 500E | ROBINSON R22 Beta II | ROBINSON R44 Raven II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| DOC / nm | $ 4.61 | $ 6.29 | $ 7.31 | $4.48 | $ 2.95 | $ 1.80 | $ 2.36 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters | Robinson Helicopters |
| Aircraft Name | H125 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW109 Grand New | SH09 | MD 500E | R22 Beta II | R44 Raven II |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 341 | 365 | 464 | 430 | 258 | 250 | 300 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.77 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.91 | $0.56 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.90 | $ 0.59 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2189 | 2535 | — | — | 1483 | 490 | 995 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 627 | $ 931 | $ 1,140 | $627 | $ 398 | $ 173 | $ 257 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | EFIS | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 148 | 156 | 140 | 135 | 96 | 109 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,200,000 | $7,500,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $3,500,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $ 312,000 | $ 490,000 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Total Seats | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 6 | 6 | — | 3 | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | PW207D1 | PW207C | HTS 900 | 250-C20B | O-360 | IO-540 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | AvGas | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 5500 | 3500 | 2000 | 2200 |
| Horsepower | 847 | 1100 | 735 | 1020 | 420 | 131 | 245 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 216.9 | 152 | — | 64 | 115 | 29.5 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 76 | — | — | 35 | — | — |
| TBO (yrs) | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 12 |
| Fuel Delivery | — | — | — | — | — | Carbureted | Fuel Injected |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 42.5 | 43 | 42.5 | — | 30.9 | 28.5 | 38.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10 | 13.25 | 11.5 | — | 8.7 | 8.8 | 10.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 36 | 35.5 | — | 26.4 | 25.2 | 33 |
| Width (ft) | — | 26.37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | 6.58 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 130 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 74 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 1.5 | 2.5 |