Bell 525 Relentless vs Dassault Falcon 8x vs Leonardo Aw189 vs Piper M600 Sls
The Bell 525 Relentless and Leonardo AW189 are medium-class helicopters optimized for vertical lift missions; the Dassault Falcon 8X and Piper M600 SLS are fixed‑wing aircraft aimed at longer, faster point‑to‑point travel. In range, the Falcon 8X is in a different league, offering true intercontinental capability (roughly 6,000+ nautical miles) and making nonstop long-haul business travel practical. The Piper M600 SLS is a single‑engine turboprop with mid‑range capability (around 1,000+ nautical miles), suited to regional trips with access to shorter runways. The Bell 525 and AW189 have shorter ranges typical of helicopters (generally a few hundred nautical miles, varying with payload and reserves), but they can operate where runways are unavailable. For passenger capacity, the Falcon 8X typically carries a large executive cabin load (often 12–16 depending on layout). The Bell 525 and AW189 can be configured for high-density seating for transport missions (commonly around a dozen or more), though executive layouts reduce that. The M600 SLS is smaller, typically seating about 5–6.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | Dassault Falcon 8X | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW189 | Piper M600 SLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 17 | 21 | 6 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | — | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Dassault Falcon | Leonardo | Piper |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | 8X | AW189 | M600 |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 6450 | 651 | 1406 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 16 | 19 | — |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | VERIFIED |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 36900 | — | 2200 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 14 | 19 | 4 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | Honeywell Primus EASy II | EFIS | Garmin G3000 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 516 | 155 | 274 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $ 62,500,000 | $2,413,000 | $3,081,400 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 7.66 | $ 15.57 | $ 2.19 |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.64 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.55 |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 3,805 | $ 2,413 | $ 603 |
| Cabin | ||||
| Cockpit | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 17 | 21 | 5 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 16 | 19 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 14 | 19 | 4 |
| Lavatory | — | 2 Enclosed Flushing | — | No |
| Crew Rest | — | No | — | — |
| Jump Seat | — | Yes | — | — |
| Galley Location | — | FWD | — | MID |
| Lavatory Location | — | FWD / AFT | — | — |
| Cabin Pressure (psi) | — | 10.2 | — | 5.6 |
| Galley / Refreshment | — | Galley | — | Refreshment Centre |
| SL Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 29200 | — | 12600 |
| Max Cabin Altitude (ft) | — | 3900 | — | 8644 |
| Engine | ||||
| FADEC | Dual-Channel | Yes | Yes | No |
| Model | CT7-2F1 | PW307D | CT7-2E1 | PT6A-42A |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | — | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | On-Condition | 4000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | — | 1983 | 600 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | — | — | 260 |
| Flat Rating | — | ISA + 17 | — | ISA + 55 |
| Thrust (lbs) | — | 6722 | — | — |
| Dimensions | ||||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 80.2 | 57.8 | 29.7 |
| Cabin Width (ft) | 7.58 | 7.7 | — | 4.1 |
| Cabin Height (ft) | 4.5 | 6.2 | — | 4 |
| Cabin Length (ft) | 15.5 | 42.7 | — | 12.3 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 18.18 | 26.1 | 16.6 | 11.3 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | — | 48 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | — | 85 | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | 86.3 | — | 43.2 |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 1695 | 395 | 165 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | 6.3 | — | — |
| Cabin Length - Seating (ft) | — | 29.2 | — | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | 140 | — | 20 |