Bell 505 Jetranger X vs Leonardo Aw109 Trekker vs Leonardo Aw169 vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 902 Exlplorer vs Sikorsky S 76d
The Bell 505 JetRanger X is a light single-engine helicopter, best suited to short-to-medium missions, with typical seating for about 4 passengers plus a pilot and generally the shortest range of this group. The MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer is also a light twin, usually configured for roughly 4–6 passengers, offering more redundancy than the Bell 505 and a moderate range for regional legs. The Leonardo AW109 Trekker sits in the light-intermediate twin category, commonly carrying about 6–7 passengers, and typically provides longer legs and faster point-to-point capability than the Bell 505 or MD 902. Moving up, the Leonardo AW169 is a larger intermediate twin designed for higher payload and cabin volume, often accommodating around 8–10 passengers with a longer, more flexible mission range. The Sikorsky S-76D is a medium twin in the same general class as the AW169 but often optimized for executive/offshore roles, typically seating about 8 passengers and offering strong range and cruise performance. The Leonardo SH09 (as publicly described) targets the light single segment, likely aligning closer to the Bell 505 on passenger count and range rather than the AW109/AW169/S-76D tier.
| Spec | Bell 505 JetRanger X | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW109 Trekker | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW169 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 902 Exlplorer | Sikorsky S-76D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| DOC / nm | $ 3.53 | $ 7.40 | $ 11.84 | $4.48 | $ 7.54 | $ 11.49 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 5 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | IFR | VFR | VFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Leonardo | Leonardo | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | Sikorsky |
| Aircraft Name | 505 JetRanger X | AW109 Trekker | AW169 | SH09 | MD 902 Exlplorer | S-76D |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 306 | 450 | 440 | 430 | 317 | 441 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.71 | $ 0.93 | $ 0.99 | $0.56 | $ 0.94 | $ 0.96 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 1500 | — | — | — | 3125 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 3 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 441 | $ 1,125 | $ 1,658 | $627 | $ 988 | $ 1,781 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G1000H | Genesys Aerosystems | EFIS | EFIS | Garmin G500H | Thales TopDeck |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 125 | 152 | 140 | 140 | 131 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $1,445,000 | $6,950,000 | $9,450,000 | $3,500,000 | $7,250,000 | $14,900,000 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Max Passengers | — | — | — | 7 | — | — |
| Cabin | ||||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 5 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 3 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 6 | 10 | — | 6 | 10 |
| Engine | ||||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Model | Arrius 2R | PW207C | PW210A | HTS 900 | PW207E | PW210S |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 4000 | 5500 | 4000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 505 | 735 | 1000 | 1020 | 710 | 1077 |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | 32.3 | — | — | — | 65 | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 84.85 | 152 | — | — | 159 | 296 |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Width (ft) | 6.51 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 42.48 | 42.5 | 48.1 | — | 40.6 | 52.5 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 4.66 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 2.75 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 7.17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 10.65 | 11.5 | 14.8 | — | 12 | 14.5 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 37 | 35.5 | — | — | 33.9 | 44 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | 137 | — | 222.5 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 18 | — | 49.5 | — | — | — |