Leonardo delivered today the thousandth AW139 helicopter. The event represents a result of historic significance: it is the most important helicopter program of the last 15 years internationally, also able to establish a production record in the panorama of the aeronautical industry of the Italian Republic.
The thousandth machine of this model, destined for the Guardia di Finanza, was delivered to its customer during an official celebration held in the Leonardo plant in Vergiate (Varese), in the presence of institutional representatives, customers, partners and suppliers, top management and company workers. The AW139, whose first flight dates back to early 2001, today boasts orders for over 1100 units from more than 280 customers in over 70 countries on all continents.
The product has demonstrated outstanding levels of reliability and uptime with nearly 2,5 million flight hours logged since first delivery in early 2004. To these numbers are added those which testify to its extreme versatility to satisfy any market requirement: more than 30% for public utility tasks such as search and rescue and air ambulance, public order, civil protection and fire prevention; over 30% for offshore transport; about 20% for military duties; the rest for VIP, institutional and corporate transport.
“What we celebrate today – he commented proudly the Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo, Alessandro Profumo – is much more than the success of a product or a company. It is the global affirmation of a country's asset. Thanks to the commitment, knowledge and professional skills present in Leonardo and to products such as the AW139, flight technology and innovation are a symbol of our industrial capabilities. The AW139 is a prime example of the role Leonardo plays and intends to continue to play in the world. It is the mirror of our values: continuous innovation, internationalisation, closeness to the market and to the customer, enhancement of human resources”.
The Managing Director of Leonardo Elicotteri, Gian Piero Cutillo, added: “With the AW139 the company has been able to create a program with international roots that is unique of its kind, with global success and capable of projecting it to the top of the global helicopter industry. Without the dedication, preparation and passion of workers of different generations and nationalities who have believed and worked on its development, and who still follow it in its operational path by constantly confronting the market and customers, all this would not have been possible".
The AW139 fleet has a global presence: about 30% in Europe, almost as much in Asia and Australasia, 15% in the Americas, followed closely by the Middle East. The international success of the AW139 is such that to meet market demand, the helicopter is produced on various assembly lines both in Italy, in the Vergiate plant, and in the United States in Philadelphia. The AW139 has played a central role in the evolution of the market, contributing together with other new generation Leonardo models to make the Company the first manufacturer in the world in the civil sector by production in 2018, with a 40% share.
The AW139 has grown significantly in just a few years, adapting to evolving customer needs. Maximum take-off weight increased from 6,4 to 7 tons. Nearly 1000 mission kits and equipment have been certified. With advanced icing protection systems, the AW139 can fly in all weather conditions. This model is also the only one in the world capable of continuing to fly for more than 60 minutes without oil in the transmission, double the 30 minutes required by the certification authorities. Despite the experience and maturity achieved in 15 years of operational activity, the AW139 remains a young and modern programme, destined to play a leading role also in the future.
The AW139 also represents a turning point in the helicopter world from another point of view: that of the introduction of the concept of "helicopter family". The AW139 is, in fact, the progenitor of a family also made up of the smaller and lighter AW169 and the larger and heavier AW189. Models, the only case in the world, which share the same design philosophy, all have the same high performance, the same flight characteristics and the same certification standards, as well as the same approach to maintenance and training. A concept that allows operators with large diversified fleets, with models ranging from 4 to 9 tons in weight, to create significant synergies in crew training, in flight operations, maintenance and logistical support.
