Airbus Helicopters H175 vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer vs Robinson Helicopters R66 vs Sikorsky S 76d
By category, the Airbus Helicopters H175 and Leonardo AW189 sit in the super-midsize/large twin segment, designed for offshore and high-utilization transport. The Sikorsky S‑76D is a medium twin optimized for executive and offshore missions. The Leonardo AW169 is a light-intermediate twin, bridging smaller EMS/corporate roles with higher speed and modern avionics. The MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer is a light twin, while the MD 500E is a light single, typically used for utility and law-enforcement-type work. The Robinson R66 is a light single aimed at cost-effective private, training, and light utility flying. In range, the AW189 and H175 generally lead among this group, commonly around the 450–500+ nautical mile class depending on configuration, with the S‑76D often in a similar but slightly lower bracket. The AW169 typically offers mid-300 to low-400 nautical mile capability. The MD 902, R66, and MD 500E usually fall into shorter-range profiles, often around the 250–350 nautical mile class. For passenger capacity, the AW189 and H175 typically carry the most (often up to around 16–19), the S‑76D commonly seats about 12, the AW169 around 8–10, the MD 902 about 7–8, the R66 about 4–5, and the MD 500E around 4–5.
| Spec | AIRBUS H175 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer | ROBINSON R66 | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 13.53 | $ 11.84 | $ 15.57 | $ 2.95 | $ 7.54 | $ 3.49 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 12 | 21 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Helicopters | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | H175 | AW169 | AW189 | MD 500E | MD 902 Exlplorer | R66 | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 573 | 440 | 651 | 258 | 317 | 350 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.75 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.94 | $ 0.70 | $ 0.96 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 18 | 10 | 19 | 3 | 6 | — | 10 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6797 | — | — | 1483 | 3125 | 1355 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 2,016 | $ 1,658 | $ 2,413 | $ 398 | $ 988 | $ 384 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | EFIS | EFIS | EFIS | Gyro / Analog | Garmin G500H | Gyro / Analog | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 149 | 140 | 155 | 135 | 131 | 110 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $17,900,000 | $9,450,000 | $2,413,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $7,250,000 | $ 920,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 12 | 21 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 12 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 18 | 10 | 19 | 3 | 6 | — | 10 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 10 |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
| Model | PT6A-67E | PW210A | CT7-2E1 | 250-C20B | PW207E | RR300 | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 3500 | 4000 | 4000 | 3500 | 4000 | 2000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 1775 | 1000 | 1983 | 420 | 710 | 300 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | 35 | 65 | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | — | 64 | 159 | 73.6 | 296 |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 59.2 | 48.1 | 57.8 | 30.9 | 40.6 | 38.3 | 52.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 17.5 | 14.8 | 16.6 | 8.7 | 12 | 11.4 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 48.5 | — | 48 | 26.4 | 33.9 | 33 | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 423.8 | 222.5 | 395 | — | — | 50 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 81.9 | 49.5 | 85 | — | — | 18 | — |