Leonardo has made significant announcements at this year’s HELI-EXPO, including sales contracts for over 50 AW09 helicopters as well as an agreement with HEMS and service provider Metro Aviation for delivery completion, service and training services for the AW09 in the USA.

The sales contracts announced are for over 50 units with global customers, 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 and Aero Facility in Japan.

The agreement announced between Leonardo and Metro Aviation aims to support the introduction and positioning of the AW09 aircraft in the USA and will see Metro bring its experience and capabilities in the development of Aircraft Interiors and Supplemental Type Certificates (STC), 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 now reached a final configuration, allowing the level of competitiveness that the market expects,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, MD, Leonardo Helicopters. “Indeed, the AW09 is generating a very positive response from all geographies around the world.”

Also, according to Cutillo, the preliminary sales contracts signed provide clear evidence for the significant evolution of the AW09’s features and multi-role capabilities: “Combining our industrial capabilities with Metro Aviation’s extensive and recognised 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 the USA.”

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