Italy's Leonardo has announced at the Heli-Expo in Atlanta, Georgia that it has signed multiple global contracts for the AW09 next-generation single-engine helicopter. The deal also includes the signing of a key collaboration for the U.S.A. market for the AW09.
Preliminary sales contracts have been signed for over 50 helicopters with customers including Aero Service Representação in Brazil, Synerjet Latina SA in Colombia, Peru and Chile, Helitech Asia in South-East Asia, Safomar in South Africa, Diskopsa in Panama and Guatemala, Heliflite in Australasia, and Aero Facility in Japan.
Additionally, a key agreement was also signed between Leonardo and Metro Aviation, one of the largest privately owned HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) operators and service providers in the US. The collaboration between the two companies aims to support the introduction and positioning of the AW09 in the U.S.A. and in doing so, benefits from Metro Aviation's proven experience and capabilities in the development of Aircraft Interiors & STCs (supplemental type certificates), service and training.
Gian Piero Cutillo, MD Leonardo Helicopters, said “What we have announced at Heli-Expo is the culmination of three years' work through which the AW09 benefited from considerable enhancements and has now reached a final configuration, allowing it to offer the level of competitiveness that the market expects. Indeed, the AW09 is generating a very positive response from all geographies around the world. Rotorcraft companies highly welcome the AW09 for its outstanding features and multirole capabilities that represent a significant evolution compared to existing products in this category. The preliminary sales contracts signed provide clear evidence of it. Also, combining our industrial capabilities with Metro Aviation's extensive and recognised experience in operations and support enhances the AW09 value proposition, providing superior mission capabilities to the operators of this platform in a prime single-engine market like the USA. “
