There are EMS tenders out there at the moment stipulating 300Nm range. We don't all live in small nations.
I have heard that the 169 is slower than the other AW's. I don't take the salesman's word for anything other than what it is, trying to get people to part with $$$!!
I have access to operators of the 169, I know what they're complaining about. Not sure what AW are going to do about the speed. I know they tried many iterations of the MGB/Engine fairings trying to tidy up the airflow back there.
And I was comparing the C++, a much improved machine over the C! Not much nicer to work on, but better to operate.
As far as FAA, who knows. The GPS system delayed IFR cert on the 189 for well over a year, for no reason. Airworthiness authorities around the planet don't seem to have the experience they once did.
Take 139 SAR Modes for instance. Transport Canada have been in the process of approving them for more than 4 (yes, FOUR) years and they STILL are not approved in Canada, even though they are approved everywhere else and Transport Canada have been to Italy to do their own test flying.
They say there is nothing wrong with it, it just isn't a high enough priority for them to push it through. WTF???