How to choose a helicopter for charter: seats, range and twin

Key points

• Passengers decide the aircraft: up to 8 in an AW139 or H145 D3, 6 in an Agusta 109 Grand and 5 in an AS355 Twin Squirrel. Ask us about the Sikorsky S-76.
• Luggage is the second limit. The hold is small on most helicopters, so soft bags work best and the weight counts as much as the volume.
• Every aircraft we arrange is twin-engine. A second engine is the usual choice for passengers, cities, night flying and flights over water, and we do not offer single-engine charter.
• Speed matters less than most people expect. We plan at 135 knots, and the quoted block time includes 8 minutes for start-up and landing.
• The AW139 has the largest cabin in our fleet; its strengths are width, window area and wide doors.
• For a price guide, see Helicopter Hire Prices; for a quote, use our quote form.

How to choose a helicopter for charter: which one fits your group?

Choose the smallest helicopter that carries your passengers and their bags comfortably, and move up a size when you add people, distance or demanding conditions. The table is a starting point, not a substitute for a quote, because load, wind and fuel decide the final answer.

Our full fleet guide has a page for each type.

For a closer look at the five aircraft and their strengths, see the fleet compared: AW139, H145 D3, Agusta 109 Grand, AS355 and S-76.

How do the main helicopters compare on seats, speed and range?

The five twin-engine helicopters we use differ mainly in cabin size and range, and the manufacturers publish figures that are measured under standard conditions. The table uses manufacturer figures where we could confirm them. Real performance changes with weight, altitude, temperature and wind, so treat every number as "about".

Leonardo lists a higher passenger maximum for the AW139 in its own data, and up to 6 for the 109 GrandNew. Our seat counts are what we normally offer for charter, with room for bags and comfort. Sources: Leonardo AW139, Leonardo 109 GrandNew and Airbus H145. The AS355 and S-76 figures are indicative because the makers' own pages for these older types are less detailed.

If you are wondering about the newest designs, our guide to new civilian helicopters explains which are certified; it is industry news, and none is part of our fleet.

Does speed or range really matter on UK trips?

Rarely: nearly every UK city pair is well inside the range of every twin we use, and the difference in cruise speed adds only a few minutes. Our times assume 135 knots plus 8 minutes, shown as a range of about 10% less to 12% more and rounded to 5 minutes.

On that basis, London (Battersea) to Birmingham takes about 40 to 50 minutes, London to Bristol about 45 to 55 minutes, and Manchester to Edinburgh about 70 to 90 minutes. Heathrow to Newcastle is the longest hop in our data at about 219 nautical miles and 95 to 120 minutes. On such a long trip the aircraft, the load and the wind decide whether we plan a fuel stop, and we say so in the quote.

The road comparison is a floor, because we use free-flowing road times. Heathrow to Birmingham, for example, is about 2 hours by road at best and about 40 to 45 minutes by helicopter. For more on journey times, read helicopter versus car: UK journey times and our routes guide.

When does a twin-engine helicopter matter?

A twin matters most when the consequences of an engine problem are greatest: over built-up areas, over water, at night and with a full load. A twin-engine helicopter has a second engine that can keep the aircraft flying, and the rules of commercial air transport reflect that.

In the UK, commercial helicopter flights are planned in performance classes. The CAA's Part-CAT rule CAT.POL.H.100 requires Performance Class 1 for flights to or from aerodromes or sites in a congested hostile environment (essentially a built-up area with no safe place to land), and Class 1 is designed so that the helicopter can continue or land safely after an engine failure. Helicopters with nine or fewer passenger seats may also use Class 2 or 3 in other situations. You can read the rule on the CAA's regulatory library.

In practice that means a single-engine helicopter is limited to simpler flights, which is why we do not offer single-engine charter: every aircraft we arrange has two engines. For a plain-English comparison, see twin-engine versus single-engine helicopters from Battersea Helicopter, and our own twin-engine safety guide. Our safety and regulation guide explains the rest.

How much luggage can a charter helicopter carry?

Less than most people expect, so plan bags and weights as carefully as seats. Helicopters have a limited baggage compartment, and it is limited by weight and by shape. Soft bags that can be squeezed in are far easier than hard cases.

Soft bags matter most in the smaller cabins. The AW139, as the biggest aircraft, offers the most room for bags, and the AS355 Twin Squirrel has good room for its size. The Agusta 109 Grand has an extended baggage compartment with wide sliding doors, according to Leonardo. Whatever the type, we need each passenger's weight and the bag weights to confirm the load, and the passenger list can change the aircraft we propose.

If you are travelling with golf clubs, camera equipment or a large amount of luggage, tell us at the start. For some trips a second aircraft, or a road vehicle for the luggage, is the better answer.

How roomy is the AW139 cabin?

The AW139 has the largest cabin of the helicopters we offer. What you gain is width, a good seat pitch, large windows and wide doors, and passengers are seated and belted for the whole flight.

For most passengers the difference between a six-seat and an eight-seat cabin shows up mainly in elbow room and bag space. The H145 D3 also seats eight and is roomy and dependable for larger groups and overseas clients.

Does weather change which helicopter you should pick?

Weather mainly changes whether a flight goes, and a larger twin such as the AW139 gives more margin than a smaller one. Wind, cloud base, visibility and icing all matter, and the final decision is always the pilot's. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.

Most of our helicopter flying is under visual flight rules, so daylight and visibility rules apply, and some sites limit flights to daylight. For a night or winter flight, we look at hours, lighting and alternates first, and we plan a second landing site in case the first is not available. Our guide to how charter works covers the booking steps, and Helicopter Hire Prices explains the cost factors without publishing a rate card here.