Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Bell 407gxi vs Bell 429wlg Globalranger vs Enstrom Helicotper 480b G vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e
Across these light helicopters, categories and capacities split into three rough groups. The Airbus Helicopters H130, Bell 407GXi, Enstrom 480B-G, Leonardo SH09, and MD Helicopters MD 500E are primarily single‑engine light utility/tour/corporate aircraft, while the Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger is a larger, twin‑engine light intermediate platform oriented to EMS/corporate/utility missions with higher redundancy and payload. For passenger capacity, the H130 is typically configured for one pilot plus up to about seven passengers, making it one of the highest-capacity single‑engine types here. The 407GXi and SH09 commonly seat one pilot plus about five to six passengers. The Enstrom 480B-G and MD 500E are usually smaller-cabin singles, often arranged for one pilot plus about four passengers (configurations vary by mission). On range, the Bell 429 generally leads in practical mission radius thanks to twin-engine design and fuel options, with the 407GXi and H130 typically offering strong single‑engine ranges in the same general band. The SH09 is designed for competitive light single performance, broadly comparable to the 407/H130 class. The MD 500E and Enstrom 480B-G tend to be shorter-range in typical utility configurations.
| Spec | AIRBUS H130 | Bell 407GXi | Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 500E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 5.00 | $ 4.43 | $ 6.05 | $4.48 | $ 2.95 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Bell | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers |
| Aircraft Name | H130 | 407GXi | 429WLG GlobalRanger | SH09 | MD 500E |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 333 | 337 | 381 | 430 | 258 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.71 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.76 | $0.56 | $ 0.74 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2299 | 2300 | 2528 | — | 1483 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 640 | $ 589 | $ 931 | $627 | $ 398 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G1000H NXI | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 128 | 133 | 154 | 140 | 135 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,450,000 | $3,225,000 | $7,700,000 | $3,500,000 | $ 2,750,000 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | 7 | — |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | 5 | 6 | — | 3 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | M250-C47E/4 | PW207D1 | HTS 900 | 250-C20B |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 3500 | 4000 | 5500 | 3500 |
| Horsepower | 952 | 862 | 1100 | 1020 | 420 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 127.8 | 216.9 | — | 64 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 46 | 76 | — | 35 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 41.5 | 41.4 | 43 | — | 30.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 11.1 | 10.2 | 12.39 | — | 8.7 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 35.1 | 35 | 36 | — | 26.4 |
| Width (ft) | — | 25.4 | 26.37 | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 5 | 5 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 3.9 | 4 | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 125 | 130 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 16 | 74 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | — | — |