Bell 525 Relentless vs Cessna Citation Xls vs Dassault Falcon 8x vs Piaggio Avanti Evo
The Bell 525 Relentless is a fly-by-wire, twin‑engine helicopter rather than a fixed‑wing business aircraft, so it fits a different mission profile: point‑to‑point access to helipads and confined areas, with a typical range on the order of roughly 500–600 nautical miles and seating commonly around 10–16 depending on configuration. The Cessna Citation XLS+ is a super‑midsize business jet aimed at efficient short‑to‑medium routes, offering about 1,800–2,100 nautical miles of range and typically seating 8–9 passengers in a standard executive layout. The Dassault Falcon 8X is an ultra‑long‑range large‑cabin jet designed for intercontinental flying, with roughly 6,400 nautical miles of range and typical seating around 12–16 (with higher‑density options possible). The Piaggio Avanti EVO is a high‑speed twin‑turboprop business aircraft that bridges jet and turboprop use cases, usually carrying 6–8 passengers with about 1,400–1,800 nautical miles of range, emphasizing efficiency and runway flexibility over maximum range.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Cessna Citation XLS+ | Dassault Falcon 8X | Piaggio Avanti EVO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 | 17 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | — | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Cessna Citation | Dassault Falcon | Piaggio |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | XLS+ | 8X | Avanti EVO |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 1906 | 6450 | 1530 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 | 16 | 7 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 7540 | 36900 | 3775 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 14 | 6 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 | Honeywell Primus EASy II | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 430 | 516 | 400 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $15,500,000 | $ 62,500,000 | $ 7,695,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 5.34 | $ 7.66 | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.67 | $ 0.64 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 2,303 | $ 3,805 | — |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 | 17 | 8 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 | 16 | 7 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 14 | 6 |
| Lavatory | — | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | 2 Enclosed Flushing | No |
| Crew Rest | — | No | No | — |
| Jump Seat | — | No | Yes | — |
| Galley Location | — | FWD | FWD | — |
| Lavatory Location | — | AFT | FWD / AFT | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 9.3 | 10.2 | 9 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | Galley | Galley | No |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 25230 | 29200 | 24000 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 3900 | 6600 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | PW545C | PW307D | PT6A–66B |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — | — | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 5000 | On-Condition | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | — | — | 850 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — | — |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 10 | ISA + 17 | ISA + 28 |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 4119 | 6722 | — |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | — | 100 |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 52.5 | 80.2 | 47.3 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 5.5 | 7.7 | 6.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 18.5 | 42.7 | 14.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 17.2 | 26.1 | 13.1 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 80 | — | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 56.3 | 86.3 | 47.1 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | 0.7 | — | — |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | 3.9 | 6.3 | 3.5 |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | — | 14.3 | 29.2 | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | 10 | 140 | 35.2 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 1695 | — |