Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Airbus Helicopters H155 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Sikorsky S 76d
In category, the Airbus H145 and Bell 429 GlobalRanger are typically positioned as light twin-engine helicopters optimized for EMS, law enforcement, utility, and short-to-medium corporate missions, while the Leonardo AW169 sits in the light‑intermediate class with more cabin volume and performance margin. The Airbus H155 and Sikorsky S‑76D are generally considered medium twins aimed more squarely at executive/VIP and offshore-style missions, with larger cabins and higher cruise comfort. For range, the light twins (H145 and Bell 429) commonly offer useful mission ranges around the mid‑300 nautical mile class depending on configuration, whereas the AW169 often reaches into the roughly 400+ nautical mile class with appropriate tanks and payload tradeoffs. The H155 and S‑76D tend to lead this group for longer legs, commonly around the 450–500+ nautical mile class, again highly dependent on interiors, reserves, and auxiliary fuel. Passenger capacity broadly scales with class: H145 and Bell 429 typically seat about 6–7 passengers, the AW169 about 8, and the H155 and S‑76D commonly around 8–12 in high‑density layouts (fewer in VIP).
| Spec | AIRBUS H145 | AIRBUS H155 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 9.31 | $ 11.06 | $ 6.29 | $ 11.84 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H145 | H155 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW169 | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 352 | 423 | 365 | 440 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.93 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.96 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 4200 | 4012 | 2535 | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,210 | $ 1,593 | $ 931 | $ 1,658 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | EFIS | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 130 | 144 | 148 | 140 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $10,200,000 | $14,800,000 | $7,500,000 | $9,450,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | Green Interior | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arriel 2E | Arriel 2C2 | PW207D1 | PW210A | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 894 | 943 | 1100 | 1000 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | 332 | 216.9 | — | 296 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 76 | — | — |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 44.8 | 46.9 | 43 | 48.1 | 52.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 13 | 14.3 | 13.25 | 14.8 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 41.1 | 36 | — | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 166 | 235.2 | 130 | 222.5 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 46.8 | 88.3 | 74 | 49.5 | — |
| Width (ft) | — | — | 26.37 | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | — | 5 | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | — | 4 | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | — | 6.58 | — | — |