Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Sikorsky S 76d
Commercial aircraft are often compared by category, typical range, and passenger capacity. Regional jets and turboprops serve short-haul routes, usually flying about 300–1,500 nautical miles and carrying roughly 30–90 passengers; turboprops tend to be most efficient on very short sectors, while regional jets offer higher cruise speeds and greater passenger appeal. Narrow-body airliners dominate domestic and near‑international markets, commonly spanning about 1,500–3,700 nautical miles with around 120–240 passengers, balancing operating cost with frequency and flexibility. Wide-body aircraft are built for high-demand long-haul travel, typically covering about 4,000–8,500+ nautical miles and seating roughly 250–400+ passengers, with the largest variants exceeding 500 in high-density layouts. At the top end, ultra‑long‑range wide-bodies prioritize endurance and payload over sheer seat count, enabling nonstop city pairs beyond 8,000 nautical miles. In general, as category moves from regional to wide-body, range and capacity increase, but so do airport infrastructure needs, trip costs, and the importance of consistently high load factors.
| Spec | AIRBUS H145 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 9.31 | $ 6.29 | $ 7.31 | $ 11.84 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | VFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H145 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW109 Grand New | AW169 | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 352 | 365 | 464 | 440 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.93 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.91 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.96 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 4200 | 2535 | — | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,210 | $ 931 | $ 1,140 | $ 1,658 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | EFIS | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 130 | 148 | 156 | 140 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $10,200,000 | $7,500,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $9,450,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Cabin | |||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Engine | |||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arriel 2E | PW207D1 | PW207C | PW210A | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 894 | 1100 | 735 | 1000 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 76 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | 216.9 | 152 | — | 296 |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Length (ft) | 44.8 | 43 | 42.5 | 48.1 | 52.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 13 | 13.25 | 11.5 | 14.8 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 36 | 35.5 | — | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 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 | — | — | — |