Leonardo announces AW09 single engine helicopter contracts and partnership at Heli-Expo 2023 as the programme makes further progress

Leonardo made major announcements at Heli-Expo 2023 (Atlanta, 7-9 March) landing global contracts and signing a key collaboration for the USA market for the AW09 helicopter as the next generation single engine programme moves ahead.

Leonardo has signed preliminary sales contracts for over over 50 units with several customers worldwide 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 for Panama and Guatemala, Heliflite in Oceania Aero Facility in Japan. 

In addition, an important Agreement was also signed between Leonardo and Metro Aviation, one of the largest privately-owned HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) operator and service providers in the US. The collaboration between the two companies aims to support the introduction and positioning of the AW09 in the USA and in doing so, benefits from Metro Aviation’s renowned experience and capabilities in the development of Aircraft Interior & STCs (supplemental type certificate), service and training. 

“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 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 recognized 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 USA.“ 

Gian Piero Cutillo, MD Leonardo Helicopters

The AW09 single engine helicopter is this year one of Leonardo’s key highlights at Heli-Expo 2023. The full-scale mock-up of the next generation helicopter in its final configuration is displayed at the Leonardo booth, attracting lots of interest within the rotorcraft community. Acquired three years ago by Leonardo, the AW09 perfectly complements Leonardo’s product range in the Long Light Single segment, introducing an all-new design aircraft to sustain a long-term competitive positioning in this weight category. One of the latest evolutions is the decision to on-board on the AW09 the Arriel 2K engine, the newest member of the Safran renown engine family, in line with the targeted AW09 high supportability and reliability levels.