Bell 525 Relentless vs Cessna 208b Grand Caravan Ex vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Piaggio Avanti Evo
The Bell 525 Relentless and Leonardo AW189 are large, twin‑engine helicopters aimed at offshore, corporate, and utility missions. Both typically carry around 16–19 passengers in high‑density layouts, with practical ranges on the order of roughly 450–500 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves, and they prioritize vertical access and all‑weather capability over speed. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX is a single‑engine turboprop fixed‑wing utility aircraft optimized for short, rough-field operations and low operating cost. It generally seats up to about 9–14 passengers (commuter versus high‑density configurations) and can offer roughly 800–900 nautical miles of range, trading cabin volume and speed for simplicity and versatility. The Piaggio Avanti EVO is a pressurized twin‑turboprop business aircraft, typically configured for about 6–9 passengers. It emphasizes high cruise speed and efficient longer legs, with a range commonly around 1,400–1,700 nautical miles, making it the strongest option here for point‑to‑point travel between runways rather than remote landing sites.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | Piaggio Avanti EVO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 21 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Leonardo | Piaggio |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | AW189 | Avanti EVO |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 651 | 1530 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 | 7 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | — | 3775 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 | 6 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | EFIS | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 155 | 400 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $2,413,000 | $ 7,695,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 15.57 | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.74 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 2,413 | — |
| Cabin | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 21 | 8 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 | 7 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 19 | 6 |
| Lavatory | — | — | No |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | — | 9 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | No |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 24000 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 6600 |
| Engine | |||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | CT7-2E1 | PT6A–66B |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 4000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | 1983 | 850 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — |
| Flat Rating | — | — | ISA + 28 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 100 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 57.8 | 47.3 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | — | 6.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | — | 5.8 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | — | 14.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 16.6 | 13.1 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | 48 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 85 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 395 | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | — | 47.1 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | — | 3.5 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | 35.2 |