Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer
The Airbus H135 is a light twin positioned for short to mid-range missions; it typically carries a pilot plus about five to six passengers, and offers roughly a 300–350 nm class range depending on configuration. The Airbus H145 is a larger light/medium twin with more cabin volume; it commonly seats a pilot plus seven to eight passengers and tends to reach the high‑300s to low‑400s nm in practical range, again mission dependent. Bell’s 429 GlobalRanger sits in the light twin segment similar to the H145 in role, usually configured for a pilot plus six to seven passengers and offering around the 370–410 nm range class. The Leonardo AW169 is a step up into the light‑intermediate/medium category, optimized for higher payload and speed; typical layouts are a pilot plus seven to eight passengers, with range often in the ~400+ nm class depending on tanks and reserves. The MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer is a light twin best known for its NOTAR anti‑torque system; it generally carries a pilot plus five to six passengers and has a shorter overall range class, commonly around ~250–350 nm depending on mission fit.
| Spec | AIRBUS H135 | AIRBUS H145 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.33 | $ 9.31 | $ 6.29 | $ 11.84 | $ 7.54 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers |
| Aircraft Name | H135 | H145 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW169 | MD 902 Exlplorer |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 342 | 352 | 365 | 440 | 317 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.79 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.94 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3124 | 4200 | 2535 | — | 3125 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 861 | $ 1,210 | $ 931 | $ 1,658 | $ 988 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Helionix | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | Garmin G500H |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 130 | 148 | 140 | 131 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,150,000 | $10,200,000 | $7,500,000 | $9,450,000 | $7,250,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | Arrius 2B2+ | Arriel 2E | PW207D1 | PW210A | PW207E |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 660 | 894 | 1100 | 1000 | 710 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 76 | — | 65 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | 216.9 | — | 159 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 33.5 | 44.8 | 43 | 48.1 | 40.6 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.6 | 13 | 13.25 | 14.8 | 12 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 34 | 36.1 | 36 | — | 33.9 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 173 | 166 | 130 | 222.5 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 46.8 | 74 | 49.5 | — |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 26.37 | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 5 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | — | — |