Bell 525 Relentless vs Cessna 208b Grand Caravan Ex vs Cessna Citation Xls vs Enstrom 480b
The Bell 525 Relentless and Enstrom 480B are helicopters, while the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX is a single‑engine turboprop airplane and the Cessna Citation XLS+ is a twin‑engine business jet. In category and mission, the Bell 525 targets offshore, corporate, and high‑end utility roles with fly‑by‑wire and higher cruise performance than most light helicopters, whereas the Enstrom 480B is a smaller utility/training/light transport helicopter suited to shorter trips and simpler operations. For range, the Citation XLS+ is the clear leader, designed for long cross‑country point‑to‑point travel typically around the 2,000‑nautical‑mile class, while the Grand Caravan EX offers solid medium range roughly around the 900–1,000‑nautical‑mile class depending on payload and reserves. The Bell 525 generally sits between them for practical legs, commonly in the several‑hundred‑nautical‑mile range, and the Enstrom 480B is shorter‑legged, typically a few hundred nautical miles. For passenger capacity, the Grand Caravan EX often carries the most in commuter layouts (up to about 14), the Bell 525 typically seats around 16–20 depending on configuration, the Citation XLS+ usually carries about 8–9, and the Enstrom 480B is typically 4–5.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Cessna Citation XLS+ |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Cessna Citation |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | XLS+ |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 1906 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 7540 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 430 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $15,500,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 5.34 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.67 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 2,303 |
| Cabin | ||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 |
| Lavatory | — | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing |
| Crew Rest | — | No |
| Jump Seat | — | No |
| Galley Location | — | FWD |
| Lavatory Location | — | AFT |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 9.3 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | Galley |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 25230 |
| Engine | ||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | PW545C |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 5000 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | — |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 10 |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 4119 |
| Dimensions | ||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 52.5 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 5.5 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 5.7 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 18.5 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 17.2 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 80 |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 56.3 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | 0.7 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | 3.9 |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | — | 14.3 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | 10 |