Bell 525 Relentless vs Daher Tbm 960 vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Piper M600 Sls
The Bell 525 Relentless and Leonardo AW189 are medium helicopters aimed at offshore, SAR, and utility missions, while the Daher TBM 960 and Piper M600 SLS are single‑engine turboprop airplanes optimized for fast personal and business travel. In range, the fixed‑wing aircraft generally go farther and faster on less fuel: the TBM 960 typically offers the longest legs in this group (around 1,400+ nautical miles), the M600 SLS is next (roughly 1,000+ nautical miles), while the AW189 and Bell 525 are shorter‑range platforms (often on the order of several hundred nautical miles depending on payload and reserves). For passenger capacity, the helicopters usually carry more people in practical cabin layouts: AW189 is commonly configured for about 16–19 passengers, and the Bell 525 for roughly 16–20, depending on mission fit. The TBM 960 and M600 SLS are pressurized six‑seat class aircraft, typically flown with 1 pilot plus up to 5 passengers, trading cabin volume and seat count for higher cruise efficiency and runway-to-runway speed.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Daher TBM 960 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | Piper M600 SLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 6 | 21 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Daher TBM | Leonardo | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | TBM 960 | AW189 | M600 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 1730 | 651 | 1406 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | — | 19 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 2908 | — | 2200 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 4 | 19 | 4 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Garmin G3000 | EFIS | Garmin G3000 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 330 | 155 | 274 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $4,450,000 | $2,413,000 | $3,081,400 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 2.25 | $ 15.57 | $ 2.19 |
| Aircraft Type | — | Turbo Prop | — | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.56 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.55 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 744 | $ 2,413 | $ 603 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 6 | 21 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | — | 19 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 4 | 19 | 4 |
| Lavatory | — | No | — | No |
| Galley Location | — | MID | — | MID |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 6.2 | — | 5.6 |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 14390 | — | 12600 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | — | — | Refreshment Centre |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | — | — | 8644 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | TBM 960 | CT7-2E1 | PT6A-42A |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 3500 | 4000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | 850 | 1983 | 600 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | — | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — | 260 |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 49 | — | ISA + 55 |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 35.3 | 57.8 | 29.7 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 4 | — | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 4.1 | — | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 13.4 | — | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | — | 16.6 | 11.3 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — | 48 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | — | 85 | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 42.1 | — | 43.2 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 123 | 395 | 165 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | — | 20 |