Bell 525 Relentless vs Cessna Citation Xls vs Dassault Falcon 8x vs Piper M600 Sls
The Bell 525 Relentless is a fly-by-wire, twin‑engine helicopter optimized for vertical lift missions rather than point‑to‑point jet travel. Its typical range is on the order of a few hundred nautical miles (roughly 500–600 nm depending on load and reserves), and it generally carries around 1–2 pilots plus up to about 16–19 occupants in high‑density layouts, with executive seating usually fewer. The Cessna Citation XLS+ is a midsize business jet aimed at efficient regional trips. It typically offers about 1,700–2,100 nm of range and seats about 7–9 passengers in a common corporate configuration. The Dassault Falcon 8X is an ultra‑long‑range large‑cabin business jet designed for intercontinental missions. It is commonly quoted around 6,450 nm of range and typically carries about 12–16 passengers, depending on cabin layout. The Piper M600 SLS is a single‑engine turboprop in the personal/light business category. Its range is roughly 1,200–1,500 nm and it usually seats 1 pilot plus up to 5 passengers (six seats total).
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Cessna Citation XLS+ | Dassault Falcon 8X | Piper M600 SLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 | 17 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | — | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Cessna Citation | Dassault Falcon | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | XLS+ | 8X | M600 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 1906 | 6450 | 1406 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 | 16 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 7540 | 36900 | 2200 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 14 | 4 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 | Honeywell Primus EASy II | Garmin G3000 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 430 | 516 | 274 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $15,500,000 | $ 62,500,000 | $3,081,400 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 5.34 | $ 7.66 | $ 2.19 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.67 | $ 0.64 | $ 0.55 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 2,303 | $ 3,805 | $ 603 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 10 | 17 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 9 | 16 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 8 | 14 | 4 |
| Lavatory | — | 1 Enclosed Belted Flushing | 2 Enclosed Flushing | No |
| Crew Rest | — | No | No | — |
| Jump Seat | — | No | Yes | — |
| Galley Location | — | FWD | FWD | MID |
| Lavatory Location | — | AFT | FWD / AFT | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 9.3 | 10.2 | 5.6 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | Galley | Galley | Refreshment Centre |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 25230 | 29200 | 12600 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | 3900 | 8644 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | PW545C | PW307D | PT6A-42A |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — | — | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 5000 | On-Condition | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | — | — | 600 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — | 260 |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 10 | ISA + 17 | ISA + 55 |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 4119 | 6722 | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 52.5 | 80.2 | 29.7 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 5.5 | 7.7 | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 18.5 | 42.7 | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 17.2 | 26.1 | 11.3 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 80 | — | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 56.3 | 86.3 | 43.2 |
| Aisle Step (ft) | — | 0.7 | — | — |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | 3.9 | 6.3 | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | — | 14.3 | 29.2 | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | 10 | 140 | 20 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | 1695 | 165 |