AIR.ONE

Airbus Helicopters H135 vs Bell 407gxi vs Robinson Helicopters R66 vs Sikorsky S 76d

The Airbus Helicopters H135 is a light twin-engine helicopter commonly used for EMS, police, and corporate transport; it typically carries a pilot plus about five to six passengers and offers a moderate range on the order of a few hundred nautical miles, with strong redundancy versus single-engine types. The Bell 407GXi is a light single-engine helicopter aimed at utility and executive missions; it generally seats a pilot plus five to six passengers and has a similar “few hundred nautical mile” class range, often benefiting from strong hot-and-high performance. The Robinson R66 is a lighter, lower-cost single-engine turbine helicopter in a smaller category; it usually carries a pilot plus four passengers and has a somewhat shorter but still comparable regional range, also in the few-hundred-nm band depending on reserves and configuration. The Sikorsky S-76D sits in the medium twin category for offshore and VIP work; it carries more people—commonly two crew plus six to eight passengers—and offers longer legs than the light helicopters, typically toward the upper end of the several-hundred-nm range.

SpecAIRBUS H135Bell 407GXiROBINSON R66Sikorsky S-76D
Summary
Cockpit2222
DOC / nm$ 6.33$ 4.43$ 3.49$ 11.49
Min Crew1112
Total Seats96512
Flight RulesIFRVFRVFRIFR
ManufacturerAirbus HelicoptersBellRobinson HelicoptersSikorsky
Aircraft NameH135407GXiR66S-76D
CertificationFAA / EASAFAA / EASAFAA / EASAFAA / EASA
Max Range (nm)342337350441
DOC / nm / Seat$ 0.79$ 0.74$ 0.70$ 0.96
Max Cabin Seats7510
OEM VerificationUn-VerifiedVERIFIEDUn-VerifiedUn-Verified
Useful Load (lbs)312423001355
Standard Cabin Seats75310
Direct Operating Cost$ 861$ 589$ 384$ 1,781
Flight Deck (Base Spec)HelionixGarmin G1000H NXIGyro / AnalogThales TopDeck
Max Cruise Speed (ktas)136133110155
Base Aircraft Price (USD)$6,150,000$3,225,000$ 920,000 $14,900,000
Cabin
Cockpit2222
Min Crew1112
Total Seats96512
ConfigurationGreen Interior
Max Cabin Seats7510
Standard Cabin Seats75310
Engine
FADECYesYesNoYes
ModelArrius 2B2+M250-C47E/4RR300PW210S
Fuel TypeJetFuelJetFuelJetFuelJetFuel
TBO (hrs)4000350020004000
Horsepower6608623001077
No. of Engines2111
Fuel Burn (gph)46
Fuel Capacity (gal)127.873.6296
Dimensions
Length (ft)33.541.438.352.5
Overall Height (ft)12.610.211.414.5
Rotor Diameter (ft)34353344
Cabin Volume (cu. ft)17312550
Width (ft)25.4
Cabin Width (ft)5
Cabin Height (ft)3.9
Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft)1618