Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Enstrom Helicopter 480b G vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 600n vs Robinson Helicopters R22 Beta Ii vs Robinson Helicopters R44 Raven I vs Robinson Helicopters R66
By category, the Bell 505 JetRanger X, Enstrom 480B-G, MD 500E, MD 600N, Robinson R44 Raven I, and Robinson R66 are light single‑engine turbine helicopters, while the Robinson R22 Beta II is a light single‑engine piston trainer/utility helicopter. The MD 600N stands out within the light‑turbine group for its NOTAR anti‑torque system, whereas the MD 500E is a classic, very lightweight turbine utility platform. For range, the piston R22 is generally the shortest‑legged of the group. The light turbines cluster in the mid range, with the Bell 505 and MD 500E typically offering similar “short to moderate” cross‑country capability depending on tanks and mission fit. The Enstrom 480B-G is often competitive in this class for usable endurance. The Robinson R66 and MD 600N tend to sit toward the longer‑range end among these light singles, again configuration dependent. For passenger capacity, the R22 carries 2 total seats. The Bell 505, Enstrom 480B-G, MD 500E, and Robinson R44 are typically 4-seat aircraft. The MD 600N and Robinson R66 commonly provide 5 seats.
| Spec | Bell 505 JetRanger X | Enstrom Helicopter 480B-G | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 600N | ROBINSON R22 Beta II | ROBINSON R44 Raven I | ROBINSON R66 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 3.53 | $ 2.83 | $ 2.95 | $ 4.06 | $ 1.80 | $ 2.30 | $ 3.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Enstrom Helicopter | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters | Robinson Helicopters | Robinson Helicopters |
| Aircraft Name | 505 JetRanger X | 480B-G | MD 500E | MD 600N | R22 Beta II | R44 Raven I | R66 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 306 | 370 | 258 | 341 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.71 | $ 0.71 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.68 | $ 0.90 | $ 0.57 | $ 0.70 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 1500 | 1180 | 1483 | 2000 | 490 | 950 | 1355 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | — | — | 3 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 441 | $ 326 | $ 398 | $ 545 | $ 173 | $ 248 | $ 384 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000H | Garmin G1000H | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 125 | 115 | 135 | 134 | 96 | 108 | 110 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $1,445,000 | $ 1,425,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $3,400,000 | $ 312,000 | $ 412,000 | $ 920,000 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Total Seats | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | — | — | 3 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Model | Arrius 2R | 250-C20W | 250-C20B | 250-C47 | O-360 | O-540 | RR300 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | AvGas | AvGas | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 2000 | 3500 | 2000 | 2000 | 2200 | 2000 |
| Horsepower | 505 | 305 | 420 | 715 | 131 | 225 | 300 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | 32.3 | — | 35 | 41 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 84.85 | 90 | 64 | 118 | 115 | 29.5 | 73.6 |
| TBO (yrs) | — | — | — | — | 12 | 12 | — |
| Fuel Delivery | — | — | — | — | Carbureted | Carbureted | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Width (ft) | 6.51 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 42.48 | 29.9 | 30.9 | 36.9 | 28.5 | 38.3 | 38.3 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.66 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 2.75 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 7.17 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10.65 | 9.6 | 8.7 | 9.7 | 8.8 | 10.8 | 11.4 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 37 | 32 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 25.2 | 33 | 33 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 137 | — | — | — | — | — | 50 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 18 | 22 | — | — | — | — | 18 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | 1.5 | 2.5 | — |