Leonardo Aw189 vs Md Helicopters (mcdonnell Douglas) 902 Explorer vs Piaggio Avanti Evo vs Robinson R66

The Leonardo AW189 and MD Helicopters 902 Explorer are medium twin‑engine helicopters, while the Robinson R66 is a light single‑engine helicopter; the Piaggio Avanti EVO is the outlier as a twin‑turboprop fixed‑wing aircraft. In passenger capacity, the AW189 typically carries the most, commonly configured around 16–19 passengers depending on layout. The MD 902 generally seats fewer, often around 8–10, while the R66 is much smaller at about 4–5 seats including the pilot. The Avanti EVO usually seats roughly 7–9, but its cabin is oriented toward executive transport rather than high‑density seating. For range, the Avanti EVO generally offers the longest reach among these options, commonly around 1,500+ nautical miles depending on reserves and conditions. The AW189 is a long‑range helicopter by rotary standards, often on the order of 450–500 nautical miles, the MD 902 is typically shorter around 300–350 nautical miles, and the R66 is usually in the same general bracket or slightly less, roughly 300–350 nautical miles, depending on fuel configuration and payload.