Leonardo has announced that the AW109 Trekker has been selected as the new helicopter to support Emergency Medical Service (EMS) operations from theRouen hospital in Normandy, France. Equipped with a special configuration and dedicated interior for rescue tasks, the helicopter will be delivered to the operator SAF Hélicoptères at the end of 2020 from the final assembly line in Vergiate (VA).
SAF Hélicoptères' bid based on the AW109 Trekker was judged the best for EMS service following a thorough and rigorous tendering process, outperforming the competition. The contract thus obtained by SAF Hélicoptères marks the entry of this type of light twin-engine helicopter from Leonardo into the civil market of France after the previous success of the AW109 Power and Grand models for helicopter rescue missions in the country.
This achievement also expands the number of French civilian customers employing Leonardo helicopters such as the i models AW109, AW169 and AW139 for multiple roles, including rescue and VIP/corporate transport. The AW109 Trekker is also the ideal solution for meeting additional healthcare requirements in France in the future.
“We are proud – he commented Tristan Serretta, Chief Executive Officer of SAF Hélicoptères – to be the new ambulance service provider from Rouen Hospital. As a helicopter operator, we always try to offer our customers quality and economically sustainable solutions. We are happy to introduce Leonardo's AW109 Trekker to our fleet. The territory covered by the service will benefit from our solid experience and reliability for this type of mission, together with the Trekker's outstanding capabilities in terms of interior, performance, advanced avionics and safety standards. We look forward to starting operations in support of the local community.”
