Cessna 208b Grand Caravan Ex vs Enstrom 480b vs Leonardo Aw189

The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX is a fixed‑wing, single‑engine turboprop utility aircraft optimized for short, unimproved strips and economical point‑to‑point transport. It typically carries around 9 passengers (often operated in that range), with a practical range on the order of roughly 900–1,200 nautical miles depending on payload and reserves. The Enstrom 480B is a light, single‑engine piston helicopter in the small utility/training class. It generally seats about 4–5 people including the pilot, and its range is typically a few hundred nautical miles, commonly around 250–350 nautical miles depending on configuration. The Agusta/Leonardo AW189 is a large, twin‑engine medium helicopter designed for offshore, search and rescue, and high‑end transport. It can be configured for high passenger counts, commonly around 16–19 passengers, with a typical operational range in the neighborhood of 450–500+ nautical miles depending on fuel, payload, and mission fit. Overall, the Caravan leads on range and cost per seat for runway operations, the Enstrom is smallest and shortest‑ranged, and the AW189 carries the most passengers while offering helicopter mission flexibility.