Bell 525 Relentless vs Boeing Bbj Max 9 vs Cessna Citation Xls vs Leonardo Aw189
The Bell 525 Relentless and Leonardo AW189 are super‑medium helicopters suited to point‑to‑point access where runways aren’t available. The Bell 525 is typically configured for about 12–16 passengers with a practical range on the order of roughly 500–600 nautical miles, while the AW189 commonly seats about 16–19 with a broadly similar typical range, often around 450–600 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves. The Cessna Citation XLS+ is a midsize business jet designed for short‑to‑medium trips between airports, usually carrying about 7–9 passengers with a range around 1,900–2,100 nautical miles. The Boeing BBJ MAX 9 is a large VIP airliner (a converted 737 MAX 9) aimed at long‑range executive transport. It carries far more people than the others when configured densely, but in VIP layouts it typically accommodates roughly 25–50 (or more) with intercontinental range generally around 6,000+ nautical miles.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Boeing BBJ MAX 9 | Cessna Citation XLS+ | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 12 | 10 | 21 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | — | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Boeing | Cessna Citation | Leonardo |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | BBJ MAX 9 | XLS+ | AW189 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 6376 | 1906 | 651 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 35 | 9 | 19 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 77120 | 7540 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 8 | 19 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Honeywell | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 | EFIS |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 470 | 430 | 155 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $107,700,000 | $15,500,000 | $2,413,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 15.74 | $ 5.34 | $ 15.57 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 1.97 | $ 0.67 | $ 0.74 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 7,396 | $ 2,303 | $ 2,413 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 | 10 | 21 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 35 | 9 | 19 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 8 | 19 |
| Configuration | — | Green Interior | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 9 | 9.3 | — |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 24000 | 25230 | — |
| Lavatory | — | — | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | — |
| Crew Rest | — | — | No | — |
| Jump Seat | — | — | No | — |
| Galley Location | — | — | FWD | — |
| Lavatory Location | — | — | AFT | — |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | Galley | — |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | LEAP-1B | PW545C | CT7-2E1 |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — | — | JetFuel |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | On-Condition | 5000 | 4000 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | — | — | 1983 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — | — |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 15 | ISA + 10 | — |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 28000 | 4119 | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 138.4 | 52.5 | 57.8 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 11.6 | 5.5 | — |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 7.1 | 5.7 | — |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 107.2 | 18.5 | — |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 40.3 | 17.2 | 16.6 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — | — | 48 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 1485 | 80 | 85 |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 117.9 | 56.3 | — |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | Flat Floor | 0.7 | — |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | 10.7 | 3.9 | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | — | 100.6 | 14.3 | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | 10 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | — | 395 |