The 7 Most Expensive Helicopters in the World

A helicopter is a type of aircraft that can hover over its landing pad and take off again without touching down. This is done by using rotors located at the bottom of the craft. These rotors are powered by engines and they turn at high speeds. When the rotor blades spin, they push air downward, creating lift.

Helicopters were first used in World War I. At this time, they were called "fly-wheels." They could only go forward, but not backward. In the 1920s, helicopters became much better and could do both forward and backward movement.

There are two types of helicopters: fixed-wing and rotary wing. Fixed-wing helicopters have wings that stay still, while rotary wing helicopters' rotors rotate around a central axis. Rotor blades are usually made out of metal, but some are composite materials.

The U.S. Army bought their first helicopter in 1925. By 1929, the army had purchased nearly 2,000 helicopters. Today, the U.S. military has about 30,000 helicopters.

The first commercial helicopter was built in France in 1910. It was designed to carry passengers.

According to the list, there are 7 helicopters that we list the most expensive helicopters in the world. It is possible to add more expensive ones instead. But below are the known and most used military and commercial helicopters.

1. Bell 412EP Super King Air - $9.5 Million USD

The Bell 412EP Super King Air is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., originally designed as a military transport helicopter. The first prototype flew on November 29, 1969, powered by two Allison T56-A-7 engines rated at 1,200 shp (945 kW). The second prototype was flown on February 17, 1970, powered by two Allison 250-C30T4B turboshaft engines rated at 2,000 shp (1,500 kW), and the third prototype was flown on June 22, 1971, powered by two Allison 500-D5B turboshafts rated at 4,000 shp (3,100 kW). The production version entered service with the United States Army in 1972.

2. Eurocopter EC725 Colibri - $7.6 Million USD

The Eurocopter EC-725 Colibrí (Spanish) is a twin-engine military helicopter developed by Eurocopter and manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. It was first unveiled at Helitech 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, where it won the European Armed Forces' Future Combat Systems competition. It entered service with the Spanish Army in 2012 and has since been exported to other countries.

3. Sikorsky S-92 - $6.5 Million USD

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (SAC) is a United States based manufacturer of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. They are best known for their work in military aviation but have expanded into civil markets as well. Their product line includes the S-76C Seahawk, S-92, S-100D, S-97 Raider, and the S-61 Skycrane.

The S-92 is a twin turboshaft helicopter that was designed to replace the UH-60 Blackhawk. It has been used by many countries around the world including the United States Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, and several others.

The S-92 can carry up to 12 passengers at speeds up to 180 mph. Its maximum range is 1,500 miles and it has a top speed of 200 mph. It can fly day or night and can land on either water or land.

The S-92 costs about $6.5 million USD.

4. Eurocopter EC135 T2 - $8.9 Million USD

This helicopter was manufactured in 1994 and is still in operation today. It is capable if transporting up to 15 passengers and has a top speed of 628 miles per hour. In 2005, this helicopter was purchased by the U.S. Air Force for $8.9 million.

5. Sikorsky S-76B - $4 Million USD

This helicopter was built in 1978 and is currently owned by the United States Coast Guard. This particular model costs $4 million and is capable of flying at speeds of up to 400 miles per hour. It can carry over 100 passengers and has a range of around 1,500 nautical miles.

6. AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin - $5.7 Million USD

This helicopter was first introduced in 1997 and is still being produced today. It is capable of carrying up to 14 people and has a maximum speed of 614 miles per hour. In 2004, this helicopter was sold for $5.7 million dollars to the Italian Navy.

7. AgustaWestland AW109 - $6.1 Million USD

The AgustaWestland (AW) 109 helicopter was developed by Italian aerospace manufacturer AgustaWestland. The AW-109 first flew in 2003 and went into service with the Royal Australian Air Force that same year. The aircraft has since been sold to several other countries including India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.