Helikopter - AW139 er populær - AIN

September 20, 2019 View in browser   •   Email Editor Leonardo Delivers 1,000th AW139 Leonardo Helicopters delivered the 1,000th example of its AW139 to Italian law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza today at an event at its Vergiate, Italy production plant near Milan. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboshaft engines and co-produced in Vergiate and Philadelphia, the AW139 is now in operation with 280 operators in 70 countries and has attracted a total order book of more than 1,100 units. Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo told those gathered for the celebration, which included a display by an AW139 and an AW609 tiltrotor prototype, that it was “a huge milestone…the company had hoped [at launch] to sell 400 and now it’s 1,000…in 15 years…and the order book is packed.” He committed to continue to develop the product to stay ahead of coming competition, looking forward to the 2,000th or even 3,000th AW139 delivery. “We now have 25 percent of the market for twin-engine helicopters,” he said. The first AW139 was unveiled at the 1999 Paris Air Show, initially as the AB139 when Bell was still involved, and made its maiden flight on Feb. 3, 2001, leading to certification and first delivery in 2004.