Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Bell 407gxi vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer vs Robinson Helicopters R66 vs Sikorsky S 76d
By category, the Airbus H135, Leonardo SH09, MD 500E, MD 902 Explorer, Robinson R66, and Bell 407GXi are light helicopters, typically used for training, utility, EMS, and police work. The Leonardo AW169 sits in the light-intermediate/medium class, while the Sikorsky S-76D is a medium twin often positioned as a premium offshore and corporate platform. The Leonardo AW189 is a larger medium helicopter optimized for offshore transport and SAR. In range, the MD 500E and MD 902 are generally shorter-range light platforms, with the R66 and H135 also commonly operating in short-to-moderate mission radii. The Bell 407GXi tends to offer strong range for a single-engine light helicopter. The AW169 and S-76D typically provide longer ranges than most light types, while the AW189 is generally the long-range leader among those listed, reflecting its offshore focus. Passenger capacity broadly scales with size: MD 500E and R66 are usually around 4–5 passengers, H135 and MD 902 commonly about 5–7, Bell 407GXi about 5–6, SH09 about 6–7, AW169 around 8–10, S-76D around 8–12, and AW189 roughly 16–18.
| Spec | AIRBUS H135 | Bell 407GXi | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer | ROBINSON R66 | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.33 | $ 4.43 | $ 11.84 | $ 15.57 | $4.48 | $ 2.95 | $ 7.54 | $ 3.49 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | VFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H135 | 407GXi | AW169 | AW189 | SH09 | MD 500E | MD 902 Exlplorer | R66 | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 342 | 337 | 440 | 651 | 430 | 258 | 317 | 350 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.79 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.74 | $0.56 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.94 | $ 0.70 | $ 0.96 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 6 | — | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 3124 | 2300 | — | — | — | 1483 | 3125 | 1355 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 861 | $ 589 | $ 1,658 | $ 2,413 | $627 | $ 398 | $ 988 | $ 384 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Helionix | Garmin G1000H NXI | EFIS | EFIS | EFIS | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H | Gyro / Analog | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 136 | 133 | 140 | 155 | 140 | 135 | 131 | 110 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $6,150,000 | $3,225,000 | $9,450,000 | $2,413,000 | $3,500,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $7,250,000 | $ 920,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin | |||||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 9 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 12 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 7 | 5 | 10 | 19 | — | 3 | 6 | — | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 7 | 5 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| Engine | |||||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Model | Arrius 2B2+ | M250-C47E/4 | PW210A | CT7-2E1 | HTS 900 | 250-C20B | PW207E | RR300 | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 3500 | 4000 | 4000 | 5500 | 3500 | 4000 | 2000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 660 | 862 | 1000 | 1983 | 1020 | 420 | 710 | 300 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 46 | — | — | — | 35 | 65 | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | 127.8 | — | — | — | 64 | 159 | 73.6 | 296 |
| Dimensions | |||||||||
| Length (ft) | 33.5 | 41.4 | 48.1 | 57.8 | — | 30.9 | 40.6 | 38.3 | 52.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.6 | 10.2 | 14.8 | 16.6 | — | 8.7 | 12 | 11.4 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 34 | 35 | — | 48 | — | 26.4 | 33.9 | 33 | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 173 | 125 | 222.5 | 395 | — | — | — | 50 | — |
| Width (ft) | — | 25.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 3.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | — | 16 | 49.5 | 85 | — | — | — | 18 | — |