Airbus Helicopters H145 vs Bell 429 Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw139 vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Sikorsky S 76d vs Sikorsky S 92
The Airbus Helicopters H145 and Bell 429 GlobalRanger sit in the light twin category, typically used for EMS, police, utility, and short-hop corporate work. They generally offer the shortest ranges in this group (often a few hundred nautical miles depending on fit and reserves) and the smallest cabins, most commonly carrying about 6–8 passengers in typical passenger layouts (configurations vary widely by mission). The Sikorsky S-76D is a medium twin, usually positioned as a premium corporate/utility aircraft with more cabin volume and performance than the light twins. It typically carries around 8 passengers in executive seating and offers mid-range capability, generally longer than H145/429 but below the largest offshore-focused types. The Leonardo AW139 is in the medium twin class and is a common offshore and SAR workhorse, usually accommodating roughly 12–15 passengers with range broadly comparable to, or somewhat above, the S-76D depending on tanks and payload. The Leonardo AW189 and Sikorsky S-92 are heavy twins optimized for offshore transport and SAR. They provide the longest ranges here (often 450–600+ nautical miles in typical mission planning) and the highest passenger capacities, commonly around 16–19 passengers.
| Spec | AIRBUS H145 | Bell 429 GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW139 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | Sikorsky S-76D | Sikorsky S-92 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 9.31 | $ 6.29 | $ 11.69 | $ 15.57 | $ 11.49 | $ 19.79 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 8 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Sikorsky | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H145 | 429 GlobalRanger | AW139 | AW189 | S-76D | S-92 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 352 | 365 | 573 | 651 | 441 | 439 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.93 | $ 0.79 | $ 0.69 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.96 | $ 0.94 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 10 | 19 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 4200 | 2535 | 4701 | — | — | 7417 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 10 | 19 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 1,210 | $ 931 | $ 1,929 | $ 2,413 | $ 1,781 | $ 3,068 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | EFIS | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | EFIS | Thales TopDeck | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 130 | 148 | 165 | 155 | 155 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $10,200,000 | $7,500,000 | $15,900,000 | $2,413,000 | $14,900,000 | $30,650,000 |
| Cabin | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 10 | 8 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 21 |
| Configuration | Green Interior | — | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | 9 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 10 | 19 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 8 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 10 | 19 |
| Engine | ||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | Arriel 2E | PW207D1 | PT6C-67C | CT7-2E1 | PW210S | CT7-8A |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 5000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 894 | 1100 | 1679 | 1983 | 1077 | 2520 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | 76 | — | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | 216.9 | 414 | — | 296 | 760 |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Length (ft) | 44.8 | 43 | 54.7 | 57.8 | 52.5 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 13 | 13.25 | 16.4 | 16.6 | 14.5 | 17.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36.1 | 36 | 54.7 | 48 | 44 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 166 | 130 | 282 | 395 | — | 775 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 46.8 | 74 | 120 | 85 | — | 140 |
| Width (ft) | — | 26.37 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Width (ft) | — | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | — | 4 | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | — | 6.58 | — | — | — | — |