Best Helicopters
Helicopters trade outright speed and range for the ability to operate almost anywhere — city helipads, offshore platforms, remote sites. Here are the helicopters in our catalog, ordered by range.
How this is ranked: Aircraft in the helicopter category, ranked by maximum range. Independent and spec-driven — we rank on the merits, not on who's selling. Figures are verified specifications. How we work.
- AW139Range 573 nmCruise 167 ktsUp to 15 pax
- 2AW109 GrandNewRange 561 nmCruise 151 ktsUp to 8 pax
- 3H225 Super PumaRange 540 nmCruise 142 ktsUp to 19 pax
- 4S-92Range 539 nmCruise 151 ktsUp to 19 pax
- 5AW119KxRange 511 nmCruise 135 ktsUp to 7 pax
- 6AW169Range 430 nmCruise 145 ktsUp to 10 pax
- 7H160Range 430 nmCruise 150 ktsUp to 12 pax
- 8429Range 411 nmCruise 150 ktsUp to 8 pax
- 9S-76DRange 411 nmCruise 155 ktsUp to 13 pax
- 10412EPXRange 402 nmCruise 122 ktsUp to 13 pax
- 11505 Jet Ranger XRange 360 nmCruise 125 ktsUp to 5 pax
- 12R66 TurbineRange 350 nmCruise 110 ktsUp to 5 pax
How to choose between them
Range matters less in rotorcraft than anywhere else in aviation — helicopters are bought for access, and the real discriminators are cabin and payload for your mission fit-out (EMS, offshore, corporate), single versus twin engines (often dictated by regulation or client contract rather than preference), and hot-and-high performance where you actually operate.
Budget realistically: helicopter economics are dominated by component overhaul reserves, and two machines with similar purchase prices can carry very different hourly reserve burdens. For corporate and charter use, factor certified IFR capability and noise footprint at your regular helipads — both quietly determine where the aircraft is welcome.