lamanated,
ec120 cruises faster than any 206, has no center column to block rear pax view, is about a 35 year more modern aircraft, has a cavern as a luggage space (compared to the 206, 500 doesn't have any at all) 120 will outperform a 206 everywhere up to about 4500 ft, then it gets tight, 5500 and the multistage compressor of the Allison Turbine (ups....RR!) takes the lead again.
If your job is not cargo or police or anything very specific forget the 500! MD is also in financial trouble (or did Sikorsky already assimilate Hughes/MD ?)
If your main job is VIP/corporate/tourism take the 120 hands down.
Even if EC is sometimes a little peculiar with their service you hardly ever will need them. Generally the bird is a very trouble free machine! VEMD is nice as you don't have to watch 3 different gauges will really helps when flying in close quarters or at the redline. Overlimit indications have a huge tolerance ( warning comes way before anything registers on the VEMD flightreport system). This feature is also VERY nice if you are not the only pilot! A quick look in the flight log before you take the machine out will confirm if anyone went over any limits lately!
Make sure the helicopter is well track+balanced and rotor rpm at the upper limit at max cruise and you will be happy! (There was a recent service letter to adjust the Rotor rpm to coincide with the resonance dampers under the floor. Best results are as mentioned above, max cruise power - rrpm 412-413)
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