One year after completing the acquisition of the Swiss Company Kopter Group (Kopter), Leonardo has welcomed the SH09 single-engine helicopter as a full member of its product range by rebranding it as the AW09.
This step synergizes the two identities of Leonardo and Kopter. The AW09 perfectly complements the existing product range of Leonardo, allowing the company to increase its share in the strategic single-engine market, which is one of the largest and most dynamic segments worldwide. Furthermore, the AW09 brings next-generation performance and demonstrates Leonardo’s innovation leadership within the industry as the helicopter features the latest safety standards and most advanced technologies and this will pave the path for further advancements in vertical flight.
The AW09 will continue to be developed by Kopter in Switzerland. The program progresses further with the contribution of joint Leonardo-Kopter teams. The third prototype (P3) has now logged in excess of 40 flight hours in Switzerland since mid-January in its new configuration. This includes enhancements in the main rotor head, gearbox, an extended rotor mast and a new design of the flight controls, combined with the modern Garmin G3000H cockpit. The AW09 next prototype, PS4, is expected to fly this year, followed by the PS5.
