Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Aw109 Trekker vs Sikorsky S 76d
Commercial aircraft are often compared by category, range, and passenger capacity because these factors determine what routes they can serve efficiently. Regional aircraft, including turboprops and small regional jets, typically carry about 30 to 90 passengers and are optimized for short hops, generally a few hundred to roughly 1,500 miles, making them well suited to thin routes and frequent departures. Narrow-body jets, such as common single-aisle airliners, usually seat around 120 to 240 passengers and cover short to medium-haul missions, often up to roughly 3,000 to 4,000 miles, which fits most domestic and many transcontinental markets. Wide-body jets, the twin-aisle aircraft used for high-demand and long-haul flying, generally accommodate about 250 to 400+ passengers and can reach about 5,000 to 8,000+ miles, enabling nonstop intercontinental services. At the top end, very large wide-bodies prioritize maximum capacity for dense hubs, sometimes exceeding 450 passengers, while still offering long range, but they are more dependent on consistently high load factors to be economical.
| Spec | AIRBUS H135 | AIRBUS H145 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Trekker | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.33 | $ 9.31 | $ 6.29 | $ 7.31 | $ 7.40 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H135 | H145 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW109 Grand New | AW109 Trekker | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 342 | 352 | 365 | 464 | 450 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.79 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.91 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.96 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3124 | 4200 | 2535 | — | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 861 | $ 1,210 | $ 931 | $ 1,140 | $ 1,125 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Helionix | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | Genesys Aerosystems | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 130 | 148 | 156 | 152 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,150,000 | $10,200,000 | $7,500,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $6,950,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Cabin | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Engine | ||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arrius 2B2+ | Arriel 2E | PW207D1 | PW207C | PW207C | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 660 | 894 | 1100 | 735 | 735 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 76 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | 216.9 | 152 | 152 | 296 |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Length (ft) | 33.5 | 44.8 | 43 | 42.5 | 42.5 | 52.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.6 | 13 | 13.25 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 34 | 36.1 | 36 | 35.5 | 35.5 | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 173 | 166 | 130 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 46.8 | 74 | — | — | — |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 26.37 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | — | — | — |