Airbus Helicopters H130 vs Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 530f vs Robinson Helicopters R44 Raven Ii
All five are light, single‑engine civil helicopters, but they span different niches. The Airbus H130 sits at the top end of this group as a light single aimed at passenger comfort and sightseeing; it typically offers the greatest cabin volume and the highest passenger capacity, commonly seating a pilot plus up to six passengers, and it generally provides the longest practical range of the group. The Bell 505 JetRanger X is also a light single, positioned as a modern, versatile utility/training platform; it usually carries a pilot plus four passengers and delivers a mid‑to‑upper range figure comparable to other contemporary light singles. MD’s 500E and 530F are light, high‑performance utility helicopters with smaller cabins; they commonly seat a pilot plus four passengers, with ranges that are competitive but often more mission‑dependent, while the 530F is optimized for hot‑and‑high operations rather than maximum cabin space. The Robinson R44 Raven II is a light piston helicopter primarily used for training and personal/utility flying; it typically carries a pilot plus three passengers and offers solid but generally shorter range than the turbine H130 and often the 505.
| Spec | AIRBUS H130 | Bell 505 JetRanger X | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 530F | ROBINSON R44 Raven II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| DOC / nm | $ 5.00 | $ 3.53 | $ 2.95 | $ 3.59 | $ 2.36 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters |
| Aircraft Name | H130 | 505 JetRanger X | MD 500E | MD 530F | R44 Raven II |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 333 | 306 | 258 | 216 | 300 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.71 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.90 | $ 0.59 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | — | 3 | 3 | — |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2299 | 1500 | 1483 | 1509 | 995 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 640 | $ 441 | $ 398 | $ 480 | $ 257 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G500H | Garmin G1000H | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 128 | 125 | 135 | 134 | 109 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $3,450,000 | $1,445,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $ 3,400,000 | $ 490,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Total Seats | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 5 | — | 3 | 3 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Dual-Channel | No | No | No |
| Model | Arriel 2D | Arrius 2R | 250-C20B | 250-C30 | IO-540 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 5000 | 4000 | 3500 | 2000 | 2200 |
| Horsepower | 952 | 505 | 420 | 650 | 245 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 143 | 84.85 | 64 | 64 | 29.5 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 32.3 | 35 | 35 | — |
| TBO (yrs) | — | — | — | — | 12 |
| Fuel Delivery | — | — | — | — | Fuel Injected |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 41.5 | 42.48 | 30.9 | 32.2 | 38.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 11.1 | 10.65 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 10.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 35.1 | 37 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 33 |
| Width (ft) | — | 6.51 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 4.66 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 2.75 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | 7.17 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 137 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 18 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | 2.5 |