Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Airbus Helicopters H160 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Aw139 vs Leonardo Aw169
In category, the Airbus H135 and Leonardo AW109 Grand New are light twins commonly used for training, EMS, and short-hop corporate missions, while the Bell 429 and Airbus H145 sit in the upper light/“light‑intermediate” twin space with more cabin volume and higher useful load. The Airbus H160 is a modern medium twin aimed at offshore, corporate, and public services with higher cruise efficiency than older designs. Leonardo’s AW169 bridges light-intermediate to medium missions, and the AW139 is a proven medium twin widely used for offshore and SAR. For range, the H135 and AW109 are typically suited to shorter sectors, the H145 and Bell 429 generally offer longer legs within the light twin class, the H160 and AW169 extend further into medium-mission profiles, and the AW139 often delivers the longest practical range and endurance of this group depending on tanking and fit. For passenger capacity, the H135 and AW109 usually seat about 6–7 passengers, the Bell 429 and H145 commonly around 7–8, the H160 typically about 10–12, the AW169 about 8–10, and the AW139 often about 12–15.
| Spec | AIRBUS H135 | AIRBUS H145 | AIRBUS H160 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW139 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.33 | $ 9.31 | — | $ 6.29 | $ 7.31 | $ 11.69 | $ 11.84 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | H135 | H145 | H160 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW109 Grand New | AW139 | AW169 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 342 | 352 | 460 | 365 | 464 | 573 | 440 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.79 | $ 0.93 | — | $ 0.79 | $ 0.91 | $ 0.69 | $ 0.99 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3124 | 4200 | 3992 | 2535 | — | 4701 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 861 | $ 1,210 | — | $ 931 | $ 1,140 | $ 1,929 | $ 1,658 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Helionix | EFIS | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | EFIS | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 130 | 155 | 148 | 156 | 165 | 140 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,150,000 | $10,200,000 | $14,000,000 | $7,500,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $15,900,000 | $9,450,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 12 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 10 |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arrius 2B2+ | Arriel 2E | HE Arrano | PW207D1 | PW207C | PT6C-67C | PW210A |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 5000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 660 | 894 | — | 1100 | 735 | 1679 | 1000 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | 76 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | — | 216.9 | 152 | 414 | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 33.5 | 44.8 | 39.4 | 43 | 42.5 | 54.7 | 48.1 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.6 | 13 | 13.1 | 13.25 | 11.5 | 16.4 | 14.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 34 | 36.1 | 45.2 | 36 | 35.5 | 54.7 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 173 | 166 | — | 130 | — | 282 | 222.5 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 46.8 | — | 74 | — | 120 | 49.5 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | — | 26.37 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | — | 6.58 | — | — | — |