The first helicopters were produced in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s. Since then, hundreds of thousands of helicopters have been produced, in hundreds of different variants, but which are the best helicopters in the world?
However, as with other types of aircraft, there have been several different types of helicopters developed. Among these are luxury helicopters, military helicopters, utility helicopters, training helicopters and more!
This can make classifying the “best helicopters” rather difficult. Regardless, for the purposes of this article, I will focus on a combination of luxury, military and utility helicopters.
15. Sikorsky S-76
What do the Queen of England, Donald Trump and Burt Reynolds all have in common? Besides being some of the most famous people on the planet, they are also all operators of the Sikorsky S-76.
The S-76 can trace its heritage back to the S-70 (which eventually became the famed Black Hawk). The S-70 was quite large, being too large for some operators, who began to demand a newer, smaller and more luxurious helicopter.
Sikorsky would develop what it called the S-74, which was redesignated as the S-76 in honor of the US bicentennial. The S-76 was Sikorsky’s first helicopter that was designed solely for civil use.
The S-76 would soon become a staple of the VIP/corporate helicopter industry, being used by celebrities and corporations the world over. Due to this, it has sold almost 5,000 times and has had numerous different variants.
14. Sikorsky S-92
In 1973, the world suddenly had a shortage of oil. This sent oil prices through the roof, with millions of people being left without oil, simply because it wasn’t available. For helicopter operators, this highlighted something else too…
The oil shortage put into perspective juts how fuel inefficient their older S-70 helicopters really were. As a result, they demanded a larger, yet more fuel efficient S-70 derivative, that had a much longer range.
Sikorsky would designate this helicopter the S-92. Since its release in 2004, it has sold over 300 times! It has become particularly popular as a private and/or corporate helicopter, as well as a utility helicopter.
In fact, the S-92 is so good, that even the US Marine Corps has given Sikorsky a contract to develop a military variant of the S-92. But this variant will serve in a particularly special role: As Marine One.
13. AgustaWestland AW109
Prior to the merger between Agusta and Westland, Agusta Helicopters began work on one of the first only-civilian helicopters. Agusta called this helicopter the A109, and primarily marketed it towards corporations.
Many of there corporations who initially bought it, loved it. As such, many more VIPs and corporations bought it as well. This has all resulted in the AW109 being one of the most common corporate helicopters in the world!
However, this isn’t what makes the A109 one of the best helicopters in the world. It’s one of the best because of how versatile it is. It has been used as a cargo helicopter, MEDEVAC helicopter and military helicopter among others.
This has led to numerous interesting modifications and variants.
Following the merger between Agusta and Westland in 2000, the Agusta A109 would be redesignated as the AgustaWestland AW109. In total, over 5,000 AW109s have been produced since 1971!
12. AgustaWestland AW139
Today, most people, even those who are unfamiliar with helicopters in the first place, have heard of the AW139. Not only is it one of the best helicopters currently in use, but it’s also one of the most famous too.
Originally designed by both AgustaWestland and Bell, the latter would eventually drop out. Both manufacturers were seeking a military and helicopter with potential civilian uses as well, to replace their pre-existing helicopters.
The AW139 would originally be introduced into service as a military helicopter for a number of militaries. At the same time, AgustaWestland would offer the AW139 to civil buyers too.
Civil and military operators alike love this helicopter! In total, nine variants have been developed, it has been built well over 1000 times, not to mention it having flown over 1 million flights in total!
11. Bell 206
Alongside the aforementioned AW139, the Bell 206 is similarly one of the most famous helicopters of recent years. In many ways, the Bell 206 is more famous than the AW139, but in many other ways, is not.
The Bell 206 is used in literally hundreds of different roles. You may know it as the helicopter your local police department uses, or the one your local fire department uses, or even the one your local news channel uses.
You may have even seen it in your favorite movies too! The Bell 206 is the most common helicopter shown in movies, even if they have nothing to do with aviation or helicopters!
Similarly, the Bell 206 has become a favorite of corporate and VIP users too.
As well as this, the Bell 206 has also served as the basis for the Bell 407. As with the Bell 206, the Bell 407 is similarly considered to be one of the best helicopters you could currently fly on!
10. NHIndustries NH90
The NH90, and by extension, NHIndustries as a whole, was a collaboration between Europe’s largest helicopter manufacturers. The European members of NATO were all looking for a transport and anti-ship / anti-submarine helicopter.
However, none of their respective countries produced such a helicopter. Some were close, but didn’t quite fit the bill. By the same token, the US didn’t produce the right aircraft either.
Realizing that they all wanted the same thing, they chose to collaborate on a single helicopter in order to save on costs. With this, every country would build what they were good at.
The resulting helicopter was the NH90, introduced in 2007. Since its introduction, it has been built almost 500 times, and has three main variants. A few are also used as civilian cargo helicopters too!
9. Boeing CH-47 Chinook
Today, the Chinook is considered to be one of the best helicopters currently in active military service. It’s large size and ability to transport some of the heaviest things on Earth often attracts a lot of media attention.
The Chinook can trace its origins back to 1956, when Sikorsky won the contract to build the CH-37 Mojave heavy-lift helicopter. Here, Vertol developed the CH-46 for the US Marine Corps.
Eventually, the US Army wanted a larger, land-based variant of the CH-46, which was built by Boeing (who had recently taken over Vertol). This new variant would be designated as the CH-47, and called the Chinook.
The Chinook would first fly in September 1961. It is still in production today, making it the longest produced helicopter in history. In total, almost 20 derivatives of the Chinook would be produced. Due to this, 1,500 CH-47s have been produced.
8. Bell Boeing V-22
The concept of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft has been around since the 1960’s. This led to aircraft like the Harrier. The same concept has also led to aeronautical engineers trying to develop tiltrotor aircraft.
Essentially, tiltrotor aircraft are aircraft that can takeoff like helicopters, but tilt their rotors to the same angle as fixed wing aircraft. Naturally, this is extremely complicated, with most prototypes failing miserably.
Often, these prototypes have led to high-profile deaths of their test pilots. On top of this, these failed prototypes have cost their manufacturers millions of dollars. As such, many companies simply refused to design tiltrotors.
However, Bell and Boeing collaborated on the V-22. With their combined efforts, the V-22 did not crumble and fail, but instead has soared. The road was certainly not easy, but over 400 V-22s have been built to date!
7. Boeing AH-64 Apache
As of the time of writing, the Apache is NATO’s premier attack helicopter. It is currently in service with almost 20 countries, all of whom are crucial US and NATO allies.
First flown in 1975, the Apache was entered into service in 1986. From here, it began a favorite for air forces and armies the world over, as its thick armor and seemingly endless amounts of weapons, made it difficult to shoot down.
Practically every conflict involving a the US and/or their allies since the 1990’s, has seen the Apache used to great extents.
Perhaps the most famous use of the Apache was in Afghanistan. The Taliban were so scared of the Apache, they’d actually run away when they heard it coming!
In order to keep up with the ever-changing nature of war, Boeing has produced a number of different variants of the Apache. The British also use the Apache, but this is a license-built variant, built by AgustaWestland.
All in all, 2,500 Apaches have been produced!
6. Kamov Ka-52
For the US and their allies, the Apache is their premier attack aircraft. For Russia, and their allies, the Kamov Ka-52 is their premier attack aircraft, alongside the Ka-50.
By the late 1990’s, it had become clear that the Soviet-era Ka-50s were no longer at the height of technology. As such, the Russian government commissioned Kamov to make a Ka-50 variant that was at the height of technology.
Kamov complied, releasing the Ka-52 in the mid-2000’s. In total, Kamov only built 32 Ka-50s. But with the Ka-52, Kamov has built over 100, with many more planned to role off the assembly lines in the coming years too!
Although Kamov designed the Ka-52 to be solely an attack helicopter, its unique, but rather strange design has made it the perfect scout helicopter. In recent years, many Ka-52s have performed both roles, often at the same time.
5. Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil
In the 1970’s, the Aérospatiale Alouette II was becoming too old to still be used in active service. As such, the French military commissioned Aérospatiale to design an all-new helicopter to replace it.
What Aérospatiale come up with was the AS350 Ecureuil. Initially, the AS350 was popular as a law enforcement and light military utility helicopter. Over time, corporations would become interested in the AS350 too…
A number of ageing AS350’s would enter service as charter and corporate/VIP helicopters. Over time, Eurocopter would take notice and begin offering the AS350 as a corporate/VIP helicopter too, a role it is nicely suited to.
On top of all of this, the AS350 has served as the basis for many of Eurocopter/Airbus Helicopters’ subsequent helicopters, including the extremely successful AS355 and EC130s.
4. Robinson R22
The R22 is not only one of the best helicopters in the world, it is also one of the cheapest too! Despite first being flown in 1975, the R22 continues to be one of the most common helicopters in our skies.
And this is mostly due to how versatile it can be. Most commonly, the R22 is used as a trainer helicopter, as it was designed to be as basic as physically possible.
However, many civil operators use the R22 as a general aviation helicopter. This is often because it’s the helicopter they learned on, and later bought because it was so cheap! It does also (rarely) act as a private helicopter too!
As of the time of writing, Robinson have produced almost 5000 R22s. In fact, the R22 was so good and so successful, that Robinson Helicopter Company used the R22 as the base for their R44 and R66 helicopters.
3. Robinson R44
Developed from the aforementioned R22, both helicopters seem to share a lot in common. Both are incredibly cheap. Both have been widely built. Both are seen as some of the best helicopters in the world!
In the early 1990’s, Robinson began to notice that sales of their previously successful R22 were declining. After much research, they found that newer models were cheaper to buy and operate than the R22.
As such, they began to develop a superior, yet cheaper to operate, helicopter based on the R22. This would eventually become the R44. As with the R22, the R44 would similarly be considered to be one of the best helicopters ever built.
The R44 had all of the features that made the R22 so good. On top of this, it also had a number of new features, such as a longer range and better fuel efficiency. This is probably why the R44 has sold almost 10,000 times!
2. MD Helicopters MD 500
The MD Helicopters MD 500 can trace its heritage back to the US Army’s Light Observation Helicopter program. Here, Hughes Helicopters would submit the Model 369 design, which would win the program and enter service as the OH-6 Cayuse.
Prior to the OH-6’s first flight in February 1963, Hughes realized that its small size and low operating costs made it perfect for a number of different civil roles. As a result, Hughes began work on a civil variant that same year.
Hughes would release the civil variant in 1967. In 1984, McDonnell Douglas acquired Hughes Helicopters and redesignated the civilian OH-6’s as MD 500s. They would then produce several more variants of the MD 500.
All in all, the MD 500 has served as a private/corporate helicopter, a general aviation helicopter and as news helicopters. This is likely why the MD 500 has been in production since 1967, and has been produced almost 5,000 times!
1. Bell 505 Jet Ranger X
Bell revealed the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X in 2013. It was meant to be Bell’s first clean-sheet design of the 21st century, and was designed to impress. And impress it did, generally being seen as one of the best helicopters in the world!
The 505 is classified by Bell as a light helicopter, just as the MD 500 is. Bell originally designed the 505 to be used as a tourist helicopter, a type of charter helicopter used to transport tourists from point A to point B.
However, since its introduction in 2017, it has been used in a number of different roles. It has likewise been used as a corporate helicopter, police helicopter, and even a cargo helicopter, straight out of the factory!
As of the time of writing, the Bell 505 has proven to be one of the best helicopters in the world, simply from how many copies it has sold: 250 in six years.
Which are truly the best helicopters in the world? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Cory W. Watts via Flickr.