How Much Does an AS350 Helicopter Cost?

Published on September 16, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 12 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

An AS350 can cost roughly $1.6 million to $1.8 million across current and recent used B2 and B3 examples, while its modern successor, the Airbus H125, is supported near $4.3 million before extra options in a recent U.S. public purchase.

One current 2018 H125 with 800 flight hours is listed at $3.2 million. The model is also in the news after an NBC4 and Telemundo 52 news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, on September 15, 2026. Aviation reporting says the aircraft was believed to be an AS350 B2, while the NTSB and FAA investigation is still underway and no cause has been established. That news does not change the market price by itself, but it makes model identity, maintenance status and airworthiness costs especially relevant to buyers.

Article Highlights

• A documented 2027-model H125 carries an aircraft price of $4,311,199 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 69 years of full-time work, before taxes) before added options.
• A current 2018 H125 with 800 hours is asking $3.2 million.
• Current 2011 AS350 B3 listings are asking $1.75 million and $1.79 million.
• A 2008 AS350 B2 listing recently carried $1.595 million before switching to make-offer status.
• AviaCost models H125 ownership at $859 per variable flight hour and $568,394 per year at 325 annual hours.

How Much Does an AS350 Helicopter Cost?

A City of Ontario, California purchase agreement gives one of the clearest current new-aircraft prices. The contract identifies a 2027-model H125 with an aircraft price of $4,311,199 (about 69 years of full-time work at $30 per hour). Airbus options add $414,531, while a negotiated credit reduces the bill by $97,199. The resulting Airbus contract is $4,628,531. The Ontario H125 purchase agreement lists delivery for October 2027.

That contract is a stronger new-price benchmark than a dealer page marked “call for price” because it identifies one aircraft, its option value and its negotiated credit. It is still a police purchase rather than a retail quote for every private owner. Currency timing, delivery slot, interior choices, avionics and optional equipment can move another H125 order away from the $4.31 million aircraft figure.

The broader market supports a low-to-mid $4 million new-aircraft expectation rather than a single universal sticker price. Fresno approved a 10-year lease-purchase arrangement of up to $4,700,833.01 including tax for an H125 purchase and maintenance component. That public transaction is not directly comparable with Ontario’s aircraft-only line, which is why the Ontario contract is the cleaner headline reference.

AS350 vs H125

The first pricing decision is identifying the exact model. Airbus says the H125 is the current designation for the AS350 B3e, which was redesignated after Eurocopter became Airbus Helicopters. Older AS350 B2 and earlier B3 aircraft did not all become new H125s simply because the manufacturer changed its name. The current H125 family description places the H125 inside the long-running Ecureuil and AStar family and distinguishes it from earlier AS350 variants.

That naming history matters because price follows generation, equipment and remaining component life. An AS350 B2 with an older Arriel engine and thousands of hours in service belongs in a different market from a low-time H125 with modern avionics. Buyers should also separate airframe age from component condition. A helicopter with an attractive asking price can still carry expensive near-term engine, rotor or transmission work if life-limited parts are close to replacement.

The current H125 uses one Safran Arriel 2D engine and can carry one pilot plus six passengers. Airbus lists a 340 nautical mile maximum range at fast cruise and a dual-hydraulic maximum takeoff weight of 5,225 pounds. Those specifications help explain why the model serves utility, tourism, law-enforcement and high-altitude missions. They do not create one universal sale price because mission equipment and maintenance status can change the purchase total by millions of dollars.

Used AS350 Prices

Used prices fall sharply with age and variant. A current 2018 H125 with 800 total hours is listed for $3.2 million (about 51 years of full-time work at $30 per hour). The 2018 H125 listing describes a utility configuration with a Garmin flight deck, cargo-swing capability and a Safran Arriel 2D engine. Compared with the documented $4,311,199 new-aircraft benchmark, the asking-price gap is $1,111,199, or about 25.8 percent.

That 25.8 percent figure is one live comparison, not a depreciation schedule. Two current 2011 AS350 B3 listings show how older aircraft occupy a lower tier. The AS350 B3 market listings show asking prices of $1.75 million and $1.79 million, with total time above 4,000 hours on each aircraft.

A 2008 AS350 B2 in British Columbia recently carried an advertised price of $1.595 million and is now marked “Make An Offer.” Its B2 sale listing publishes detailed engine-module time, cargo equipment, air conditioning and mission accessories. Those details are financially important because two B2s with the same model year can have very different near-term maintenance exposure.

Current price example	Price	Scope
New 2027 H125 aircraft	$4,311,199	Ontario public purchase before extra options
Equipped Airbus contract	$4,628,531	Aircraft, Airbus options and negotiated credit
Used 2018 H125	$3.2 million	800-hour current asking price
Used 2011 AS350 B3	$1.75 million to $1.79 million	Two current asking prices
Used 2008 AS350 B2	$1.595 million	Recent advertised price, now make offer

Options Can Add Millions

The airframe is only part of the bill for a mission helicopter. Ontario separately approved $2,745,248 for specialized police equipment and installation on top of the Airbus aircraft contract. The documented purchase provides a useful itemized example.

Documented Ontario total

• H125 aircraft at $4,311,199.
• Airbus options at $414,531.
• Negotiated credit of -$97,199.
• Airbus contract total of $4,628,531.
• Police equipment and installation at $2,745,248.
• Combined acquisition of $7,373,779.

The police-equipment package adds about 59.3 percent to the Airbus contract value and represents about 37.2 percent of the combined total. Those percentages are ThePricer calculations from the two approved contract amounts.

This example explains why a police H125 can appear to cost more than $7 million while a standard new H125 aircraft benchmark sits closer to $4.3 million. Cameras, mapping systems, tactical radios, searchlights, mission consoles and installation labor can create a second large contract. A buyer should ask whether a quoted figure is for the aircraft itself, an equipped aircraft, or a completed mission platform.

The same rule applies outside law enforcement. Utility helicopters can carry cargo hooks, external-load equipment and specialized mirrors. Medical configurations need cabin completion and clinical equipment. Buyers comparing the H125 with the wider helicopter purchase market should match configuration before comparing prices. A bare aircraft and a mission-ready aircraft are different products even when the registration certificate lists the same model.

What It Costs to Fly

Purchase price is only the first major cash requirement. AviaCost currently models H125 variable expense at $859 per flight hour. Its sample budget uses $289,284 per year in fixed costs and a total annual operating budget of $568,394 at 325 flight hours. The H125 operating cost model also assumes fuel burn near 44 gallons per hour.

Annual utilization changes the effective hourly result because fixed costs are spread across more flying. AviaCost shows a fully allocated cost of $2,305 per hour at 200 annual hours and $1,749 per hour at 325 hours. Moving from the first utilization level to the second reduces allocated hourly cost by about 24.1 percent. Total annual spending still rises because the helicopter flies 125 more hours.

Those figures should be treated as a planning model rather than an operator invoice. Fuel price, pilot compensation, insurance, hangar rent, maintenance program and mission profile vary by owner. Low annual use deserves special scrutiny because fixed expenses do not disappear while the helicopter is parked. A buyer who needs only occasional access can compare ownership with helicopter charter pricing before tying up several million dollars in an aircraft.

Maintenance Costs in 2026

Maintenance history can matter more than model year on a used AS350. Buyers need the remaining life on the engine modules, main rotor components, tail rotor components and other life-limited parts, along with inspection records and damage history. A low asking price can lose its advantage quickly if a major component reaches its replacement limit soon after purchase. This is why a pre-purchase technical inspection and complete log review belong in the acquisition budget.

A 2026 FAA airworthiness directive gives a current example of mandatory maintenance exposure across the AS350 family. The directive applies to AS350B, BA, B1, B2, B3 and D models, among several AS355 variants. It addresses the tail rotor head pitch-change unit. The FAA compliance cost table estimates $85 for each listed one-hour inspection or marking task. On-condition work is much more expensive, with bush replacement estimated at $6,003 per helicopter and rotating-plate replacement at $27,460 per helicopter.

Those amounts do not mean every AS350 needs a $27,460 repair. The FAA states that it cannot determine how many aircraft will require the on-condition work. The directive became effective July 21, 2026, before the Los Angeles news-helicopter crash discussed below. There is no public evidence tying that crash to the condition covered by this directive.

Why the AS350 Is in the News

An NBC4 and Telemundo 52 news helicopter crashed in the Chatsworth area of Los Angeles on September 15, 2026 while covering a separate traffic collision. Three people died, including two people associated with the helicopter and a person on the ground. Aviation reporting says the wreckage was believed to be the AS350 B2 registered N358TV, though the tail number had not been formally confirmed in that developing report. The Chatsworth crash report says the NTSB and FAA are investigating and the cause remains unknown.

For a cost article, the responsible takeaway is limited. An active accident investigation does not support a conclusion that AS350 values, insurance premiums or maintenance costs have changed. It does remind used-aircraft buyers why variant identity, maintenance records and regulatory compliance matter. Any attempt to price an accident-related discount before market evidence appears would be speculation.

The family remains active in new public procurement at the same time. Government and public-safety agencies continue to buy H125s for law-enforcement and utility missions. That demand does not set a private-market price, but it supports the aircraft’s continued role as the current high-performance member of the AS350 line.

Five-Year Ownership Math

A five-year ownership model puts the purchase decision into a more useful scale. Start with the documented new-aircraft benchmark of $4,311,199 and use AviaCost’s $568,394 annual operating budget at 325 hours. Five years of that modeled operating expense equals $2,841,970. Adding the aircraft purchase gives a five-year cash requirement of about $7,153,169 before financing, tax, depreciation, major unplanned maintenance or resale proceeds.

The same calculation shows why acquisition price alone can understate the long-run budget. The modeled five-year operating bill equals about 65.9 percent of the initial aircraft price. A mission-equipped public-safety aircraft could start from a much higher acquisition base, while an older used B2 can start much lower but carry greater component-time risk. The five-year result should not be treated as a forecast for every owner.

Resale value can offset part of the cash outlay at the end of the period, but assigning a future resale price would add another uncertain assumption. Financing also changes cash timing without changing the underlying maintenance need. Buyers using an AS350 for medical work face a separate service economics question, and the broader air ambulance cost structure includes clinical staffing and patient transport charges that do not belong in the helicopter’s ownership price.

Buy Used, New or Charter

A new H125 fits buyers who need current factory support, modern avionics, predictable component status and a long service horizon. The documented $4.31 million aircraft benchmark gives a realistic starting point before mission completion. A used H125 around $3.2 million can reduce acquisition spending while keeping the newer H125 configuration. An older B2 or B3 near the current $1.6 million to $1.8 million examples cuts the entry price much further, but remaining component life becomes a larger part of the purchase decision.

Charter or contract lift can make more financial sense when annual utilization is low or the mission changes frequently. Ownership brings availability and configuration control, but the fixed-cost model above shows why parking an H125 for much of the year is expensive. Buyers should compare annual mission hours, dispatch requirements and equipment needs before focusing on the cheapest airframe listing.

Makes sense if

• You need frequent access to the aircraft and mission availability matters.
• You can fund maintenance reserves and life-limited component work.
• You have a stable mission that justifies a specific configuration.

Does not make sense if

• Your annual flying is low enough that fixed costs dominate the budget.
• You are comparing B2, B3 and H125 listings as if they were the same generation.
• The purchase leaves no reserve for major scheduled component work.

Answers to Common Questions

How much is a new Airbus H125?

A recent public purchase lists the aircraft itself at $4,311,199 before added options. Another buyer’s configuration can differ.

How much does a used AS350 cost?

One 2008 AS350 B2 listing recently carried $1.595 million before moving to make-offer status, while current 2011 AS350 B3 aircraft are asking $1.75 million to $1.79 million. Price depends heavily on component time and equipment.

How much does an H125 cost to operate?

One current planning model estimates $859 per variable flight hour and a $568,394 annual budget at 325 flight hours.

Was the Los Angeles news helicopter an AS350?

Aviation reporting says the aircraft involved was believed to be an AS350 B2. The investigation is active, and the cause has not been established.