Enstrom Helicotper 280fx Shark vs Enstrom Helicotper 480b G vs Guimbal Cabri G2 vs Leonardo Sh09 vs Md Helicopters Md 500e vs Md Helicopters Md 600n vs Robinson Helicopters R44 Raven I vs Robinson Helicopters R66 vs Schweizer Rsg 300cbi
All of these are light helicopters, but they span piston and turbine power, two-seat trainers through five-seat utility aircraft. The Guimbal Cabri G2 and Schweizer RSG 300CBi are two-seat piston trainers with the shortest typical range and the lowest passenger capacity. The Enstrom 280FX “Shark” is also a small piston helicopter, generally in the two-to-three-seat class with modest range. Moving up, the Enstrom 480B-G is a larger piston aircraft typically configured for four seats and offers more practical range than the two-seat trainers. The Robinson R44 Raven I is a four-seat piston helicopter with broadly comparable range to the 480B-G, while the Robinson R66 is a five-seat turbine model with longer typical range and higher useful load. The MD 500E is a light turbine helicopter (commonly five seats) optimized for performance and missions over maximum range; the MD 600N is a larger six-seat turbine with generally greater range and cabin capacity than the 500E. The Leonardo SH09 is a modern light single, typically in the four-to-five-seat category with competitive range for its class.
| Spec | Guimbal Cabri G2 | AGUSTA / LEONARDO SH09 | MD Helicopters MD 500E | MD Helicopters MD 600N | ROBINSON R44 Raven I | ROBINSON R66 | Schweizer RSG 300CBi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summary | |||||||
| DOC / nm | $ 1.71 | $4.48 | $ 2.95 | $ 4.06 | $ 2.30 | $ 3.49 | $ 1.68 |
| Total Seats | 2 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Flight Rules | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR | VFR |
| Manufacturer | Guimbal | Leonardo | MD Helicotpers | MD Helicotpers | Robinson Helicopters | Robinson Helicopters | Scheizer RSG |
| Aircraft Name | Cabri G2 | SH09 | MD 500E | MD 600N | R44 Raven I | R66 | 300CBi |
| Certification | FAA / EASA | In-Development | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA | FAA / EASA |
| Max Range (nm) | 406 | 430 | 258 | 341 | 300 | 350 | — |
| DOC / nm / Seat | $ 0.86 | $0.56 | $ 0.74 | $ 0.68 | $ 0.57 | $ 0.70 | $ 0.56 |
| OEM Verification | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified | Un-Verified |
| Useful Load (lbs) | 617 | — | 1483 | 2000 | 950 | 1355 | — |
| Direct Operating Cost | $ 171 | $627 | $ 398 | $ 545 | $ 248 | $ 384 | $ 158 |
| Flight Deck (Base Spec) | Guimbal Digtal EPM | EFIS | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog | Gyro / Analog |
| Max Cruise Speed (ktas) | 100 | 140 | 135 | 134 | 108 | 110 | 94 |
| Base Aircraft Price (USD) | $385,000 | $3,500,000 | $ 2,750,000 | $3,400,000 | $ 412,000 | $ 920,000 | $ 360,000 |
| Cockpit | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| Min Crew | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Max Passengers | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | 6 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | 6 | 2 | 5 | — | 3 | — |
| Cabin | |||||||
| Total Seats | 2 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Cockpit | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| Min Crew | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Standard Cabin Seats | — | 6 | 2 | 5 | — | 3 | — |
| Max Cabin Seats | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Engine | |||||||
| FADEC | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Model | 0-360-J2A | HTS 900 | 250-C20B | 250-C47 | O-540 | RR300 | HIO-360-G1A |
| Fuel Type | AvGas | JetFuel | JetFuel | JetFuel | AvGas | JetFuel | AvGas |
| TBO (hrs) | 2000 | 5500 | 3500 | 2000 | 2200 | 2000 | 2000 |
| TBO (yrs) | 12 | — | — | — | 12 | — | 12 |
| Horsepower | 180 | 1020 | 420 | 715 | 225 | 300 | 180 |
| Fuel Delivery | Carbureted | — | — | — | Carbureted | — | Fuel Injected |
| No. of Engines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel Burn (gph) | — | — | 35 | 41 | — | — | — |
| Fuel Capacity (gal) | — | — | 64 | 118 | 29.5 | 73.6 | — |
| Dimensions | |||||||
| Length (ft) | 20.7 | — | 30.9 | 36.9 | 38.3 | 38.3 | 30.9 |
| Overall Height (ft) | 8.2 | — | 8.7 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 11.4 | 8.8 |
| Rotor Diameter (ft) | 23.7 | — | 26.4 | 27.5 | 33 | 33 | 26.9 |
| Baggage Volume Ext. (cu. ft) | 7 | — | — | — | — | 18 | — |
| Baggage Volume Int. (cu. ft) | 0.7 | — | — | — | 2.5 | — | — |
| Cabin Volume (cu. ft) | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | — |