EC130 B4H130 (EC130 T2)2012+
RangeMTOWCruiseCeiling
Key changes
Detailed variants pending.
Family · 2 variants2001+
Airbus EC130 B4
EC30Light Turbine HelicopterDiscontinued2001–2012
Range
329 NM · 609 km
MTOW
2,427 kg
Cruise
130 kt · 241 km/h
Seats
7
7 seats (pilot included)
Used price
US$ 1.6M
The Airbus EC130 B4 is a light turbine helicopter produced between 2001 and 2012. Price: the Airbus EC130 B4 is out of production and, used, the market median is around US$ 1.6M. Median from Jet Tracker's price research as of 06/2026. It has a range of 329 nm, a cruise speed of 130 kt (241 km/h), 7 seats (pilot included). In Brazil there are 47 active units in the RAB-ANAC, excluding cancelled registrations. The EC130 B4 family (2 variants) totals 148 active units. There are 56 aircraft from this family for sale today, across 60 listings on the portals Jet Tracker tracks (global market, not Brazil only).
Source: RAB-ANAC (data as of 11/9/2026) and Jet Tracker catalog (spec sheet reviewed on 10/30/2026).
Acquisition price · pre-owned market
limited data60 active listings (global)Jet Tracker curation · 6 sources · 6/4/2026
US$ 1.6MR$ 8.8M
market medianaging ≈ −5.7%/yr+28% vs Light Turbine Helicopter median
Entry
US$ 1.0M
model year 2002
Best value
US$ 1.5M
model year 2009
Top of range
US$ 1.7M
model year 2011
Basis
Valuation
Bluebook + market
Minimum
US$ 900.0K
R$ 5.0M
Median
US$ 1.6M
R$ 8.8M
Maximum
US$ 2.5M
R$ 14.1M
Depreciation curve by year of manufacture
CAGR +6.1%/yr·2002→2011
Market median by vintage (USD). Light-blue band = min/max range observed across real listings. Points without reliable public listings (n ≤ 1) use Bluebook/curve interpolation and are flagged as lower confidence.
5 of 5 points with reduced confidence (n ≤ 1 listing observed). The estimate for these years comes from Aircraft Bluebook / market-curve interpolation, not from direct listings.
Landed in Brazil
Index ≈ ×1.13 to ×1.41 on the aircraft value, already with ferry, ANAC nationalization, IPI and ICMS.
Through a qualified importer
US$ 1.0M – 3.1M
R$ 5.6M – 17.0M · Agreement 75/91 · IPI + ICMS ~7 to 12%
Direct import
US$ 1.2M – 3.6M
R$ 6.5M – 19.8M · IPI + full ICMS ~25 to 32%
Market estimate: value + ferry + ANAC nationalization + taxes, no legal review. II, PIS and COFINS are 0% for aircraft (NCM 88.02); IPI is 6.5% (3.25% for air taxi) until Dec 31, 2026; ~4% ICMS only through a qualified importer (Agreement 75/91).
Cost per flight hour
Operate · owned
US$ 1.1K/h
R$ 6.3K/h · Variable/h
- Fixed/yr
- US$ 180.9K
- Total/h @ 200 hrs/yr
- US$ 2.0K/h
Charter · 🌎 World
US$ 2.8K – 3.8K/h
R$ 15.4K – 20.9K/h
Charter · 🇧🇷 Brazil
US$ 1.9K – 3.5K/h
R$ 10.5K – 19.3K/h
Operate = direct cost/hour (fuel + maintenance + engine); excludes fixed costs (hangar, crew, insurance). World: hourly rate published by charter operators. Brazil: charter is quoted per leg, so the hourly figure is an estimate from route quotes.
How we read this price · 6 sources · researched 6/4/2026
Median and price range for pre-owned aircraft, compiled by Jet Tracker from asking prices in listings and the price guides in the sources below, checked on 6/4/2026. 2 of 5 model years have an observed listing. The rest are estimates from the market curve between model years and are flagged in the chart.
- GlobalAir - EC-130-B4 for sale
- Bolt Flight - EC130 B4 price & operating costs
- ab-tc.com - how much does EC130 cost
- Aircraft Cost Calculator - EC130 B4
- Aircraft Bluebook (Summer 2021) via AvBuyer/guides
- Conklin & de Decker - EC130B4 operating costs
PTAX · R$ 5.5127 / US$ · 11/09/2026
Market estimates for guidance only, not a firm quote. Confirm the value with a broker/appraiser before any transaction.
Temporal identity
First flight
Jun 24, 1999
FAA cert.
Dec 14, 2000
ANAC cert.
—
Deliveries start
—
Units produced (this variant)
447
The EC130 B4 is the light turbine helicopter from Airbus Helicopters built between 2001 and 2012, with ICAO code EC30. It flies at a 130 kt cruise speed, has an endurance range of 329 nm, a service ceiling of 15,800 ft and a maximum takeoff weight of 2,427 kg. The cabin seats up to 7, with 6 in the typical configuration. On this page you will find the complete spec sheet, the estimated operating cost per flight hour and the aircraft of this model registered in Brazil.
Detailed specs
Performance
- Engine
- 1x Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 turboshaft
- Engine type
- Single-turbine 847 shp
- Max speed
- 155 kt
- Endurance
- 3 h
- Fuel
- 540 L
- Tail rotor type
- Fenestron (rotor enclosed in a duct)
- Fuel
- 142.7 gal
- Rate of climb
- 1,750 ft/min
- Service ceiling
- 16,000 ft
- Hover ceiling (IGE)
- 11,000 ft
- Hover ceiling (OGE)
- 6,700 ft
- Main rotor diameter
- 10.69 m
Cabin and comfort
- Doors
- 4 doors + sliding rear doors
- Seats
- 7
- Optional air conditioning
- Yes
- Configuration
- 7 seats (1 pilot + 6 passengers), cabin widened vs. AS350
- Typical configuration
- Crew 1 + Bench 6
- Useful load
- 1,050 kg
- Noise attenuation
- Fenestron reduces external noise by 50%, favorite for tours over cities/parks
- Baggage compartment
- 38.66 cu ft
Avionics and engines
- GPS
- Garmin GTN 750/650 retrofit
- Cockpit
- Partial VEMD + steam gauges
- Autopilot
- Optional 2-axis autopilot
- Transponder
- Garmin GTX 345 with ADS-B Out (retrofit)
- Weather radar
- Not available
Operating costs
- Data source
- Conklin & de Decker (conklindedecker.jetsupport.com) - EC130B4 variable cost ~$746/hr · aircraftcostcalculator.com - EC130B4 / H130 (EC130T2) annual budgets and per-hour totals · Vertical Reference helicopter forum - real operator fuel burn 48-54 gph; all-in ~$858/hr at 500 hrs/yr · helishare.net EC130 Buyer's Guide - Arriel 2B1 overhaul ~$850k-1M per 3,500 hr TBO; MGB ~$400-500k · boltflight.com / myaircraftcost.com - EC130B4 cost summary (maintenance, insurance, hangar, crew ranges) · Safran Helicopter Engines / StandardAero - Arriel 2 (2B1) support and TBO
- Fuel burn
- 53 gal/h
- Last updated
- 2026
- Rotor overhaul interval
- 4,000 h
- Market price (low)
- US$ 1,500,000
- Engine overhaul interval
- 4,000 h
- Market price (high)
- US$ 3,000,000
External dimensions
- Overall length
- 10.68 m
- Wingspan
- 10.69 m
- Height
- 3.34 m
Weights & fuel
- Operating empty weight (OEW)
- 1,377 kg
- Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)
- 2,427 kg
- Maximum payload
- 818 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 540 L
- Fuel capacity
- 967 lb
Cabin
Standard configuration
1 zone6 typical seats (pilot included) · 7 max1 crew6-seat bench
Typical factory configuration (curated data). The drawing below is schematic and at approximate scale; the actual layout varies by interior and year.
Cabin to scale: cross-section and profile
front cross-section · person = 1.75 m
Length
2.19 m
Width
2.05 m
Height
1.28 m
Volume
—
Baggage
—
Differences between variants
History
- 1999First flight
- 2000FAA certification
- 2001 - Launched in 2001 for the premium tourist tour market
Eurocopter certified the EC130 B4 in December 2000 as a direct derivative of the AS350 B3, keeping the Arriel 2B1 engine and main rotor dynamics, but adding a widened cabin (7 PAX vs. 6 on the AS350) and a Fenestron (ducted tail rotor). Designed specifically for premium tour operators: Grand Canyon Tours (Maverick, Papillon), Niagara, Hawaii (Blue Hawaiian), Iguazu Falls (Helisul). 447 units were produced between 2001 and 2012, according to JETNET data cited by AvBuyer.
- 2012 - Replaced by the H130 (EC130 T2) in 2012
Eurocopter ended EC130 B4 production in 2012, replaced by the EC130 T2 (rebranded H130 in 2014), which brought a more powerful Arriel 2D engine, an even larger cabin and better avionics. 447 B4 units were produced over 11 years, according to JETNET data cited by AvBuyer. The global active fleet in 2024 exceeds 400 units, with Airbus support assured. The used market sits at USD 1.5M-3.0M depending on hours and configuration, a popular option for operators who want a Fenestron without the USD 4M cost of a new H130.
- 2012End of production
Brazil Fleet
Lineage
Model with no documented lineage in the manufacturer's line.
Curiosities and highlights
Benefits
Fenestron reduces external noise by 50%, a decisive differentiator
The EC130 B4's big differentiator vs. the AS350 is the Fenestron, a tail rotor enclosed in a closed duct (Aérospatiale patent, 1968). It reduces external noise by up to 50% compared to a conventional tail rotor, eliminating the characteristic 'whap-whap'. Crucial for operations over cities (urban air mobility), national parks (Grand Canyon, Iguazu) and regions with noise restrictions. It enables operations where a standard AS350 would be prohibited by noise limits.
7-PAX cabin brings more revenue per tour flight
Vs. the AS350 (6 PAX max), the EC130 B4 seats 7 PAX in a 'theater seating' format (3 staggered rows), each PAX with a panoramic view vs. only a front view. For tour operators (USD 200-400/PAX-hour at the Grand Canyon), 1 additional PAX = +14% revenue per flight. The comfort of the widened cabin also justifies a premium price vs. the AS350. Operating cost of ~USD 880/h is only 5% higher than the AS350 with Fenestron, with an evident ROI in tours.
Limitations
Hot/high performance below the AS350 B3 with the same power
The EC130 B4 has an Arriel 2B1 engine (847 shp) identical to the AS350 B3, but since the widened cabin and Fenestron add ~120 kg of empty weight, OGE hover drops to 6,700 ft (vs. 11,880 ft for the B3). Operation at high altitudes (Andes, Himalayas) or in very hot climates is more limited; operators choose the AS350 B3 / H125 for hot/high. The EC130 B4 stays in the urban/tourist market at low-to-medium altitude where the Fenestron pays off.
Curiosities
Maverick Helicopters operates 50+ EC130s at the Grand Canyon
Maverick Helicopters (Las Vegas/Grand Canyon) operates one of the largest civil fleets of EC130/H130s in the world, more than 50 units in continuous rotation offering tours over the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas. The EC130 B4 fleet (older models) and H130 (newer models) total thousands of hours of tourist flying. Other large operators: Papillon (USA), Blue Hawaiian (Hawaii), Helisul (Iguazu Falls, Brazil).
Maverick Helicopters
Catalogued accidents
Sources: NTSB, CENIPA, Aviation Safety Network
Airbus EC130 B4 for sale now
Listed aircraft with a page on Jet Tracker, from the lowest asking price up. Asking is not the closing price; portals and the reading date are on each page.
Registrations in Brazil
98 operational aircraft owned by companies in the ANAC registry (RAB), across the EC130 B4 family (2 variants). Each opens the profile with owner, operator, status and history.
PP-ABKPP-ACIPP-BGAPP-BVPPP-CHVPP-CHZPP-JECPP-JGMPP-LGPPP-MBVPP-MHCPP-MHLPP-NOVPP-PLDPP-PVBPP-VMPPR-AHHPR-BANPR-BKKPR-BOYPR-BPXPR-CBHPR-CJRPR-DNRPR-ECBPR-ETCPR-GHGPR-HAVPR-HBZPR-HORPR-IMXPR-IPBPR-JMNPR-LMHPR-MDRPR-NISPR-NKMPR-NOTPR-OVJPR-PBHPR-PCEPR-RGLPR-RIMPR-RMPPR-RUCPR-RVXPR-SHFPR-TIIPR-TILPR-VBSPR-VMPPR-YASPR-YHBPS-ARJPS-BCGPS-BHSPS-CLGPS-DDLPS-DFSPS-ELEPS-ELXPS-FRFPS-FSGPS-HLCPS-HPIPS-HTTPS-ILVPS-ITMPS-JERPS-JJCPS-JMNPS-JOBPS-JRZPS-LMFPS-MCBPS-MMJPS-MOMPS-MPEPS-NBSPS-NOTPS-OREPS-PBPPS-PEGPS-PMRPS-PTLPS-PVBPS-REHPS-RGFPS-RLKPS-RVJPS-SGRPS-SPAPS-TOYPS-VOAPS-WMJPS-ZGFPT-SBHPT-YQL
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Airbus EC130 B4 cost?
The Airbus EC130 B4 is out of production, so there is no factory price. On the used market the median is around US$ 1.6M, varying with year and flight hours; see real listings on this model's Market tab. Reference value as of 06/2026.
What is the range of the Airbus EC130 B4?
The maximum range is 329 nm (329 NM · 609 km).
How fast is the Airbus EC130 B4?
Cruise speed is 130 kt, equivalent to 241 km/h.
How many passengers does the Airbus EC130 B4 seat?
The Airbus EC130 B4 has 7 seats in total, counting the pilot seat: up to 6 passengers.
How many Airbus EC130 B4 are there in Brazil?
There are 47 active units in the RAB-ANAC (data as of 11/9/2026): operational, mark reservation or suspended, excluding cancelled registrations. The EC130 B4 family (2 variants) totals 148 active units.
Who operates the Airbus EC130 B4 in Brazil?
39 distinct operators operate 41 units of the Airbus EC130 B4 in the RAB-ANAC: 6 in air taxi (RBAC 135) and 35 in private operation (RBAC 91), concentrated in SP, MG and SC (data as of 11/9/2026). Another 1 unit is under registration reservation (tail number reserved, not yet operating). Not included in that count: 5 units run by public bodies (police, fire departments or government). Name, fleet and state of each operator are on this model's Analytics tab and in the operators directory.
How much does it cost to operate the Airbus EC130 B4 per hour?
Jet Tracker estimate: about US$ 2,041 per flight hour at 200 h/year, of which US$ 1,136 per hour is variable cost (fuel, engine program, maintenance reserves) plus US$ 180,900 per year of fixed cost (crew, hangar, insurance), under Jet Tracker's default assumptions (Southeast Brazil, in-house crew, 200 h/year). Run your own scenario on this model's Costs tab.