Bell 429wlg Globalranger vs Leonardo Aw109 Grand New vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Leonardo Aw189
The Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger and Leonardo AW109 Grand New are best viewed as light, twin‑engine helicopters, while the Leonardo AW169 sits in the intermediate/light‑medium class and the Leonardo AW189 is a super‑medium helicopter designed for heavier missions. In range terms, the AW109 and Bell 429 typically offer similar “light twin” reach suited to regional hops and urban/near‑offshore operations, whereas the AW169 generally extends that capability with longer legs and more flexible mission endurance. The AW189 is built for the longest range of this group, supporting longer offshore sectors and higher payload over distance. Passenger capacity scales accordingly: the Bell 429 and AW109 commonly seat about six to seven passengers in executive or EMS‑style layouts, the AW169 typically carries around eight to ten depending on configuration, and the AW189 commonly accommodates roughly twelve to sixteen in high‑density cabin arrangements (or fewer in VIP/mission‑equipped layouts). Overall, moving from Bell 429/AW109 to AW169 to AW189 trades higher acquisition/operating complexity for larger cabins, greater payload, and longer mission radius.
| Spec | Bell 429WLG GlobalRanger | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Grand New | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 6.05 | $ 7.31 | $ 11.84 | $ 15.57 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 8 | 12 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | VFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | 429WLG GlobalRanger | AW109 Grand New | AW169 | AW189 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 381 | 464 | 440 | 651 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.76 | $ 0.91 | $ 0.99 | $ 0.74 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 2528 | — | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 931 | $ 1,140 | $ 1,658 | $ 2,413 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Bell BasiX-Pro | EFIS | EFIS | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 154 | 156 | 140 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $7,700,000 | $ 7,800,000 | $9,450,000 | $2,413,000 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 8 | 8 | 12 | 21 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 6 | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | PW207D1 | PW207C | PW210A | CT7-2E1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 1100 | 735 | 1000 | 1983 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | 76 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 216.9 | 152 | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 26.37 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 43 | 42.5 | 48.1 | 57.8 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 5 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4 | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 6.58 | — | — | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 12.39 | 11.5 | 14.8 | 16.6 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 36 | 35.5 | — | 48 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 130 | — | 222.5 | 395 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 74 | — | 49.5 | 85 |