Beechcraft King Air 360 Er vs Bell 525 Relentless vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Robinson R66
The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is a pressurized twin‑turboprop fixed‑wing aircraft optimized for longer point‑to‑point travel; it offers roughly a 1,500‑nautical‑mile class range and typically carries about 6–9 passengers depending on layout. The Bell 525 Relentless is a super‑medium twin‑engine helicopter aimed at offshore and executive transport; it generally supports around 16 passengers and provides about a 500–600‑nautical‑mile class range (mission dependent). The Leonardo AW189 is also a super‑medium twin helicopter, commonly configured for offshore with about 16–19 passengers and a broadly similar 450–550‑nautical‑mile class range, again varying with reserves and payload. The Robinson R66 is a light single‑engine helicopter suited to shorter missions and lower operating complexity; it typically carries 4 passengers plus a pilot (five seats total) and has an approximately 300‑nautical‑mile class range. Overall, the King Air leads on range and cruise efficiency, the Bell 525 and AW189 lead on rotorcraft passenger lift, and the R66 is the smallest and shortest‑range option.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | AW189 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 651 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $2,413,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 15.57 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.74 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 2,413 |
| Cabin | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 21 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 |
| Engine | ||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | CT7-2E1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | 1983 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 57.8 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 16.6 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | 48 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 85 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 395 |