Leonardo's TH-119 training helicopter has completed its maiden flight. The company announces it in a note in which it explains that the TH-119 represents Leonardo's answer to replace the US Navy's fleet of TH-57 Sea Rangers.
"The helicopter is a special version of the AW119 - continues the company led by Alessandro Profumo -, a model of great success in the USA and on the world market already built in America also with the contribution of numerous local suppliers"
The TH-119 made its inaugural flight on December 20, with test pilot Patrick McKernan on board at the Leonardo plant in Philadelphia, where AW119s are built. The helicopter fully met its expectations during the assessment of its general flight capabilities and new avionics systems. If selected by the US Navy, Philadelphia will build a fleet of more than 125 TH-119 using the current AW119 production line.
"The TH-119, already built in the United States, is an extremely competitive product both from an economic point of view and due to the expected delivery times. It is equipped with high performance, flexibility of use and safety levels already known to operators. The TH-119 is designed not only to carry out every type of US Navy training mission currently required by TH-57 and to go far beyond those requirements, "said Andrew Gappy, head of US government sales of Leonardo's Helicopters division.
