Bell 525 Relentless vs Leonardo Aw139 vs Piaggio Avanti Evo
The Bell 525 Relentless and Leonardo AW139 are medium twin‑engine helicopters aimed at offshore, corporate, and public service missions, while the Piaggio Avanti EVO is a twin‑turboprop fixed‑wing business aircraft optimized for faster point‑to‑point travel. In category and mission fit, the 525 emphasizes newer fly‑by‑wire rotorcraft technology and a larger cabin class, the AW139 is a widely proven, high‑utilization workhorse with broad global support, and the Avanti EVO trades vertical lift for higher cruise speed and runway operations. On range, the Avanti EVO typically offers the longest practical trip lengths among the three (generally around 1,400–1,800 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves), whereas the AW139 and Bell 525 are usually in the several-hundred‑nautical‑mile class (often roughly 500–700 nautical miles, configuration dependent). Passenger capacity also differs: the Avanti EVO commonly seats about 7–9 passengers in executive layouts; the AW139 often carries around 8–12 passengers depending on configuration; and the Bell 525 is generally positioned for similar or slightly higher passenger counts in a spacious cabin, frequently around 10–16 depending on layout and mission.
| Spec | Bell 525 Relentless | AGUSTA / LEONARDO AW139 | Piaggio Avanti EVO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 17 | 8 |
| Flight Rules | IFR | IFR | IFR |
| Manufacturer | Bell | Leonardo | Piaggio |
| Aircraft Name | 525 Relentless | AW139 | Avanti EVO |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 580 | 573 | 1530 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 15 | 7 |
| OEM Verification | VERIFIED | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 6675 | 4701 | 3775 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 15 | 6 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Garmin G5000H | EFIS | Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 160 | 165 | 400 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $15,000,000 | $15,900,000 | $ 7,695,000 |
| DOC / nm | — | $ 11.69 | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | — | $ 0.69 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | — | $ 1,929 | — |
| Cabin | |||
| Cockpit | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Min Crew | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Seats | 18 | 17 | 8 |
| Max Cabin Seats | 16 | 15 | 7 |
| Standard Cabin Seats | 16 | 15 | 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 | PT6C-67C | PT6A–66B |
| Fuel Type | JetFuel | JetFuel | — |
| TBO (hrs) | 4000 | 5000 | 3600 |
| Horsepower | 1800 | 1679 | 850 |
| No. of Engines | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | 641 | 414 | — |
| Flat Rating | — | — | ISA + 28 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 100 |
| Dimensions | |||
| Width (ft) | 25.77 | — | — |
| Length (ft) | 61.58 | 54.7 | 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 | 16.4 | 13.1 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 54.5 | 54.7 | — |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 128 | 120 | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | 282 | — |
| Wingspan (ft) | — | — | 47.1 |
| Cabin Width - Floor (ft) | — | — | 3.5 |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | — | — | 35.2 |