Interactive comparison
Compare ownership, not brochures
Purchase price is only one part of the decision. Figures are indicative estimates at the typical market year for each model.
| Decision factor | MD Helicopters MD 500DView aircraft profile | Bell 206L-1 LongRanger IIView aircraft profile | Enstrom 280CView aircraft profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical market year | 1979 | 1980 | 1978 |
| Estimated purchase | €873k | €699k | €118k |
| Annual cash cost at 80 h | €202k | €194k | €156k |
| Five-year cash outlay | €1.88m | €1.67m | €899k |
| Cruise speed | 134 kt | 112 kt | 95 kt |
| Advertised range | 229 nm | 239 nm | 209 nm |
| Seats | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| Realistic payload | 270 kg | 450 kg | 180 kg |
| Runway need | Vertical | Vertical | Vertical |
| Data confidence | Preliminary, verify source data before deciding | Preliminary, verify source data before deciding | Preliminary, verify source data before deciding |
| Main trade-off | The MD 500D combines 4-seat helicopter capability with about 229 NM reported range and about 134 kt reported cruise, while payload, runway and operating-cost figures remain indicative and should be verified for the specific aircraft before making a decision. | The 206L-1 LongRanger II combines 6-seat helicopter capability with about 239 NM reported range and about 112 kt reported cruise, while payload, runway and operating-cost figures remain indicative and should be verified for the specific aircraft before making a decision. | The 280C combines 3-seat helicopter capability with about 209 NM reported range and about 95 kt reported cruise, while payload, runway and operating-cost figures remain indicative and should be verified for the specific aircraft before making a decision. |
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