Expensive helicopters

Palaces in the sky: The world’s most expensive helicopters

BELL 505

The New Industry Leader

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is Bell Helicopter’s new five-seat aircraft designed for safety, efficiency and reliability through the use of advanced avionics technology. It incorporates proven dynamic components, advanced aerodynamic design, a dual channel FADEC Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine and best-in-class value.

While Bell Helicopter proved at Heli-Expo that the 505 Jet Ranger X is already a contender in the SLS market, there are some formidable platforms in this class of helicopters that have already been established. What follows are four comparable five-seat light turbine helicopters that Bell will have to work very hard at beating out for the much-desired pool of customers. One component that the 505 has established is a first-class avionics suite, an important offering that most of the platforms on this list are currently lacking. Target missions for this segment of the helicopter market include helicopter training, personal transportation, law enforcement and emergency medical transport, among others.

The five-seat Bell 505 Jet Ranger X will be equipped with a Garmin G1000H integrated avionics system. With first flight scheduled late this year and certification expected in 2015, actual performance specs are not yet available, and the numbers provided show only preliminary data.

• Price (approximate): $1,000,000
• Engine: Turbomeca Arrius 2R
• Horsepower: 504 shp
• Seats: 5
• Length: 42.4 feet
• Height: 10 feet
• Fuselage width: 60 inches
• Cabin volume: 61 cubic feet
• Main rotor diameter: 37 feet
• Tail rotor diameter: 5.4 feet
• Useful load: 1,500 pounds
• Max usable fuel: 91 gallons
• Full fuel payload: 881 pounds
• Cruise speed: 125 knots
• Max range: 360 nm

The EC120's 504-horsepower Turbomeca Arrius 2F engine drives a three-blade main rotor and a Fenestron tail rotor, which produces less noise and reduces the chance of a tail rotor strike. The EC120 is the biggest and fastest in this class and comes standard with air conditiong, two reasons why its base price hovers way above that of the others on this list. Airbus Helicopters is still looking for a replacement of the GNS 430W that was an option for a GPS/navcom before Garmin took it off the market.