Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Airbus Helicopters H175 vs Bell 429wlg Globalranger vs Bell 525 Relentless vs Leonardo Aw139 vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Leonardo Aw189
The Airbus H135 and Leonardo AW169 sit in the light twin category, typically carrying about 6–8 passengers with ranges broadly around 300–450 nm depending on fit and reserves. The Airbus H145 and Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger are also light twins but generally offer a bit more usable cabin and payload flexibility; both commonly seat about 6–8 passengers, with typical ranges in the roughly 350–450 nm class. Stepping up, the Leonardo AW139 and Airbus H175 are medium twins aimed at offshore, SAR, and VIP/utility work. They usually accommodate around 12–16 passengers (often configured near 12–15) and deliver ranges commonly around 400–650 nm, again varying with mission equipment and fuel policies. At the heavier end, the Leonardo AW189 and Bell 525 Relentless are super-medium class aircraft designed for longer-range offshore and high-payload missions. They generally seat about 16–19 passengers and target ranges roughly in the 500–750+ nm bracket in typical configurations, with the 525 often positioned toward the upper end of that range class.
| Spec | AIRBUS H135 | AIRBUS H145 | AIRBUS H175 | Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger | Bell 525 Relentless | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW139 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.33 | $ 9.31 | $ 13.53 | $ 6.05 | — | $ 11.69 | $ 11.84 | $ 15.57 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 12 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | H135 | H145 | H175 | 429WLG GlobalRanger | 525 Relentless | AW139 | AW169 | AW189 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 342 | 352 | 573 | 381 | 580 | 573 | 440 | 651 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.79 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.75 | $ 0.76 | — | $ 0.69 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.74 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 19 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3124 | 4200 | 6797 | 2528 | 6675 | 4701 | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 19 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 861 | $ 1,210 | $ 2,016 | $ 931 | — | $ 1,929 | $ 1,658 | $ 2,413 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Helionix | EFIS | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | Garmin G5000H | EFIS | EFIS | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 130 | 149 | 154 | 160 | 165 | 140 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,150,000 | $10,200,000 | $17,900,000 | $7,700,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,900,000 | $9,450,000 | $2,413,000 |
| Cabin | ||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 12 | 21 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 18 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 19 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 16 | 6 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 19 |
| Engine | ||||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arrius 2B2+ | Arriel 2E | PT6A-67E | PW207D1 | CT7-2F1 | PT6C-67C | PW210A | CT7-2E1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 3500 | 4000 | 4000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 660 | 894 | 1775 | 1100 | 1800 | 1679 | 1000 | 1983 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | 76 | — | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | — | 216.9 | 641 | 414 | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||||||||
| Length (ft) | 33.5 | 44.8 | 59.2 | 43 | 61.58 | 54.7 | 48.1 | 57.8 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.6 | 13 | 17.5 | 12.39 | 18.18 | 16.4 | 14.8 | 16.6 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 34 | 36.1 | 48.5 | 36 | 54.5 | 54.7 | — | 48 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 173 | 166 | 423.8 | 130 | — | 282 | 222.5 | 395 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 46.8 | 81.9 | 74 | 128 | 120 | 49.5 | 85 |
| Width (ft) | — | — | — | 26.37 | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | — | 5 | 7.58 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | — | 4 | 4.5 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | — | 6.58 | 15.5 | — | — | — |