Md Helicopters (mcdonnell Douglas) 902 Explorer vs Piper M600 Sls vs Robinson R66

The MD Helicopters (McDonnell Douglas) 902 Explorer is a light twin-engine helicopter aimed at utility and corporate rotorcraft missions. In category terms it sits apart from the Piper M600 SLS, which is a single‑engine turboprop fixed‑wing airplane optimized for fast personal and business travel, and from the Robinson R66, a light single‑engine turbine helicopter focused on simpler, lower‑cost rotorcraft operations. For range, the Piper M600 SLS generally offers the longest legs by a wide margin, typically around the 1,000+ nautical mile class, reflecting fixed‑wing efficiency. The MD 902 Explorer and Robinson R66 have much shorter typical ranges, generally a few hundred nautical miles; between the two, the MD 902 is often comparable or somewhat better depending on configuration, but both are primarily regional/mission‑area aircraft rather than long cross‑country machines. For passenger capacity, the MD 902 commonly seats a pilot plus about seven passengers, the Robinson R66 typically carries a pilot plus four passengers (five total), and the Piper M600 SLS is usually configured for one pilot plus five passengers (six total).