AW109S Trekker

All posts tagged AW109S Trekker

Leonardo’s Private/Corporate helicopters demonstrate leadership in UK and Ireland with new orders announced at EBACE 2023.

Posted by dgualdo on 25/05/2023
Posted in: Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

PRESS RELEASE – Rome,  23 May 2023

  • Two more AW109 light twin helicopters have been ordered by UK and Ireland’s regional distributor Sloane
  • Over the last 12 months Leonardo registered total orders for nearly 15 Private/Corporate helicopters in the region, including a mix of AW109 GrandNew/Trekker and five AW139s, all with deliveries expected in the 2H 2023-2025 period

Leonardo’s continued success in the UK and Ireland VIP/corporate helicopter market expands as its regional distributor, Sloane, announced orders for one AW109 GrandNew and one AW109 Trekker light twin during an official ceremony held at EBACE 2023 (Geneva, 23-25 May) today. The contract clearly demonstrates the strong continued market demand in the UK for the popular class-leading AW109. 

David George, Chairman of Sloane Helicopters, said: “We are proud to further strengthen our longstanding partnership with Leonardo through the order of two more airframes. With eight new helicopters delivered since the last EBACE and more to come, this rapid expansion exemplifies Sloane’s commitment to both the Leonardo products and growth of the UK & Ireland helicopter market. The addition of these two airframes further solidifies Leonardo’s position as the leading helicopter manufacturer in the VIP/Corporate market and we are honoured to play a key role in this attainment.”

In July 2022, Sloane confirmed its Distributor Agreement for the 2022-2024 timeframe, covering both types and the AW169 light intermediate twin model. The long-term success between Sloane Helicopters and Leonardo was established in 1995, when Sloane became the sole distributor of Leonardo VIP/corporate helicopter in the UK and Ireland. Under this collaboration, nearly 110 Leonardo commercial helicopters have been delivered to operators and private users in the UK and Ireland. The Distributorship Agreement has provided customers with continued benefits by dramatically reducing delivery times and providing customers with product expertise and a full range of support packages, which also helps Leonardo to maintain its position as leader in the executive/private transport market in the UK and Ireland, among other applications. This has been further reinforced following the launch of the new Agusta VIP brand in late 2021 with its exclusive features and all-new service offer. 

Sloane Helicopters is also an Authorised Service Centre, providing maintenance and support services for the majority of GrandNew and all AW169 VIP helicopters in the region. Additionally, Sloane Helicopters is a Type Rating Training centre for Leonardo helicopters in the UK.

Overall, the position of Leonardo in the segment in the region has shown solid performance over the last 12 months with total orders for nearly 15 helicopters in UK and Ireland including a mix of AW109GrandNew/Trekker and five AW139 intermediate twins, all with deliveries expected in the 2H 2023-2025 period. Regarding the AW139, those latest orders further expand the success of the best-in-class twin engine intermediate helicopter for Private/Corporate transport missions in UK and Ireland, thanks to its maturity and reliability characteristics, combined with high level of comfort and unrivaled performance, bringing the total number of aircraft of this type flying in the region to nearly 20. In addition to the new orders, over the last year eight AW109s from previous contracts were delivered in these two countries. 

Leonardo: the AW109 Trekker enters the Indonesian helicopter market.

Posted by dgualdo on 17/03/2021
Posted in: Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , .

PRESS RELEASE – Rome 10 March 2021

  • The delivery of an AW109 Trekker to FlyKomala grows the presence of Leonardo’s light twins in Indonesia adding to the AW109 Grand and GrandNew models 
  • FlyKomala will use its new aircraft for a wide range of missions including passenger transport, utility transport, disaster relief, and emergency support duties 
  • Leonardo’s helicopter fleet in Indonesia counts almost 20 aircrafts to date for corporate, SAR, and utility transport missions

Leonardo announced today the delivery of an AW109 Trekker light twin to FlyKomala of Indonesia, marking the entrance of the type into the country’s helicopter market.

The aircraft will be used by the operator to carry out a range of missions including passenger transport, utility transport, disaster relief, and emergency support duties. FlyKomala will benefit from best in class performance and payload, large cabin space, a rugged airframe and modern avionics to enhance mission effectiveness and safety in the demanding environmental and weather conditions of the country.  

This latest delivery grows the success of Leonardo’s light twin types in Indonesia adding to the AW109 Grand and GrandNew models. Leonardo’s civil helicopter fleet in Indonesia counts almost 20 aircraft of various types for corporate, SAR, and utility transport tasks. Asia has proven to be one of the most important regions for the AW109 Trekker, chosen in various countries for several applications including EMS, utility, and law enforcement tasks. 

The AW109 Trekker maintains the AW109 Grand airframe, large cabin and top-class performance while offering greater payload at a competitive cost, therefore proving it is perfectly suited to meet the stringent requirements of operators in terms of capabilities and cost effectiveness. The AW109 Trekker is the latest addition to Leonardo’s helicopter portfolio and the Company’s first light twin to offer skid landing gear. The AW109 Trekker is equipped with a latest generation Genesys Aerosystems glass cockpit that can be configured according to customer needs: one or two pilots, VFR or IFR. Over 70 AW109 Trekkers have been sold to customers around the world to date for a number of missions, adding to around 1,500 AW109 series units sold globally.  

Leonardo: US EMS operator Life Link III grows its fleet of helicopters to 14 aircraft.

Posted by dgualdo on 08/11/2020
Posted in: HEMS / SAR, Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , .

PRESS RELEASE – 05 November 2020

  • Two more helicopters ordered by this operator and the order also marks the entry of the AW109 Trekker in the US for EMS and the growing success of the AW169 in this market
  • The helicopters will conduct vital air medical transport missions across Minnesota and Wisconsin in the United States and will be delivered in 2021
  • The AW169 and AW109 Trekker meet the most stringent safety standards and are configured to support Life Link III crews undertake in-flight critical care and transport patients

Leonardo announced today that Life Link III, an EMS operator in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the United States, has signed a contract for an AW169 and an AW109 Trekker for air medical transport missions.

The helicopters will ensure in-flight critical care and transport patients across the upper-Midwest of the country and delivery is anticipated to take place in the fourth quarter of 2021. This order marks the entry of the AW109 Trekker into the US for EMS applications and further grows the success of the AW169 in this market.
The AW169 features a spacious 222 cubic ft. cabin and Life Link III will have a FAA certified EMS interior which provides 360-degree patient access essential for critical care. The helicopter can travel up to 440 nautical miles, with a top speed of 160 knots and it can climb to 14,500 feet.
The Trekker has high-end EMS capabilities in terms of its interior, performance, advanced avionics, and safety standards. The twin-engine helicopter is equipped with Night Vision Goggles (NVG), single-pilot instrument flight rules, and a customised interior built to meet Life Link III’s requirements.

This sale will increase Life Link III’s Leonardo helicopters fleet to 14 aircraft and the company will be the first to operate a mixed fleet of AW119 IFR and AW109 Trekker. These aircraft feature the same core avionics which deliver unique advantages in terms of fleet management, training, safety, and support. The EMS operator’s existing fleet comprises of ten AW119Kx which have accrued more than 21,000 flight hours. In addition, in July of this year, Life Link III signed for the first IFR-certified AW119 in the civil market – this aircraft will enable the company to undertake safer operations in challenging weather conditions. The helicopter is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2021.

Lee McCammon, Vice President of Operations at Life Link III, commented: “The addition of the AW109 Trekker and AW169 will return Life Link III to instrument flight capability and further enhance our ability to deliver safe, fast, and reliable air medical transportation to the communities we serve. Our strong relationship with Leonardo supports our commitment to utilizing advanced technology to complete life-saving missions.”
William Hunt, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters in Philadelphia, said: “We are pleased to once again be supporting the vital life-saving missions of our long-standing partner, Life Link III. The AW109 Trekker and AW169 will be great additions to the EMS operator’s fleet and both aircraft with their high-tech capabilities will enable Life Link III to conduct its operations safely and quickly.”

This latest sale represents the growing share of Leonardo’s helicopters in the North American EMS market, which now totals more than 110 across a fleet of AW119s, AW109s, AW169s and AW139s. Leonardo is committed to serving and protecting communities around the world, contributing to their sustainable growth by leading in next generation technologies. Partnering with Governments, private organizations and industries for the best security and safety capabilities is a cornerstone of Leonardo’s BeTomorrow2030 Strategic Plan.

Nearly 240 orders for AW169s have been placed by countries including Italy, the UK, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and the United States. To date over 70 AW109 Trekkers have been sold to customers worldwide for a range of roles and over 1,500 AW109 series units have been sold globally for the widest scope of missions.

Website NEWS: World Rotors … Leonardo AW109S Trekker I-RAIX.

Posted by dgualdo on 05/10/2020
Posted in: HEMS / SAR, Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, Website NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

I-RAIX – WORLD ROTORS update

WORLD ROTORS
Leonardo Helicopters AW109S Trekker ( c/n 22701 ) I-RAIX, […..].
Leonardo Aw109S Trekker … Photo Page

Thanks to Tiziano CAPENTI for this image of the Leonardo AW109S Trekker I-RAIX […..] wearing an unusual yellow / blue paint scheme with Greek Air Force roundel and additional EKAB (Helleninc EMS Service) and SNF (Stavros Niarchos Foundation) logo … performing pre-delivery maintenance test flights in Venegono (VA), September 2020.

First Leonardo AW109 Trekker VIP for Europe debuts at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Posted by dgualdo on 26/09/2019
Posted in: Leonardo Helicopters NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , .
  • The first VIP AW109 Trekker for the European market is destined for the United Kingdom where Leonardo has a fleet of almost 100 VIP helicopters
  • Leonardo has a global fleet of over 830 VIP helicopters performing private, charter, scheduled, corporate transport, air-taxi, tourism and VVIP transport
  • With skids and high levels of customization, the AW109 Trekker is slated to increase Leonardo’s impressive VIP market share (44% in twin engines)

PRESS RELEASE – Monte Carlo, 25th September 2019

The first Leonardo AW109 VIP Trekker helicopter for a European customer debuts today at the Monaco Yacht Show.

The Monaco Yacht Show (25 to 28 September) is one of the most important international luxury yacht showcases. After the show, the VIP Trekker will fly to the United Kingdom for delivery thanks to Sloane Helicopters, Leonardo’s distributor for over twenty years in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The privately-owned aircraft will be operated by Apollo Air Services, available for VIP charter market.

The AW109 Trekker is the newest model within Leonardo’s light twin-engine helicopter range. The Trekker joins a fleet of Leonardo VIP helicopters that lead the UK and Irish market: almost 100 aircraft with nearly 90% represented by the AW109 series (Power, Grand and GrandNew). This market is second only to Brazil where about 130 Leonardo VIP helicopters fly amongst 400 San Paolo helipads. The helicopter maker and the distinguished Italian Style of its VIP helicopter design are embraced around the world, boasting a 44% global share in the twin-engine VIP helicopter market.

The Company’s fleet of 2,300 civil helicopters are used for law enforcement, offshore transport, utilities, search and rescue and VIP / corporate transport. More than 830 aircraft carry out a range pf passenger transport missions including private, charter, scheduled flights, corporate, air-taxi, tourism, VVIP. Leonardo’s VIP helicopter models all share a strong commitment to high performance, versatility, safety, reliability, support and training services, design and a high level of customization. The Company features the largest range of executive, corporate and government transport helicopters including the AW119Kx single engine 1.8 tonne, the AW109 series, the AW169, AW139, AW189 and the three-engine 16 tonne.

With the AW109 Trekker Leonardo is destined to increase its notable market share, thanks to features that combine the qualities of the AW109 Grand—long recognized by operators— Company General Use including its spacious cabin, state-of-the-art Genesys Aerosystems avionics and skids, particularly suitable for landing on yachts. The combination is unmatched in terms of cost/effectiveness, technology and performance. Sloane Helicopters will be maintaining two AW109 Trekkers in UK. Building on the qualities that have made the AW109 series the benchmark helicopters in its category, Sloane will be performing demonstration flights with the new Leonardo light twin inviting operators to learn more about its unique characteristics.

LEONARDO BOOSTS HELICOPTER LEADERSHIP IN CHINA WITH ORDERS FOR 15 AW139S.

Posted by dgualdo on 06/11/2018
Posted in: HEMS / SAR, Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , , .

PRESS RELEASE – Shanghai 05/11/2018

LEONARDO BOOSTS HELICOPTER LEADERSHIP IN CHINA WITH ORDERS FOR 15 AW139S AND THE SIGNING OF A HEADS OF AGREEMENT FOR A MIX OF AN ADDITIONAL 160 HELICOPTERS AND NEW IN-COUNTRY SUPPORT AND TRAINING.

  • Contracts for 15 EMS-configured AW139s, for delivery between 2019 and 2021. The new helicopters will bring total sales of Leonardo helicopters in China to over 185
  • The Heads of Agreement includes a purchase and delivery plan for 160 units in a 2019-2023 timeframe plus the establishment of a Leonardo Authorised Training Academy and a Completion & Customisation Centre. It also confirms the role of Sino-US as Leonardo’s civil helicopters exclusive distributor in China
  • Profumo: “With the new orders and Heads of Agreement signed today, Leonardo reinforces its leading position in China, a fast-growing and highly competitive market where our state-of-the-art helicopters are performing challenging emergency medical support operations every day, serving communities around the nation.”

Leonardo announced today that Sino-US Intercontinental Helicopter Investment (Sino-US) of China has signed contracts for 15 AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters. The announcement was made during the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in the presence of the Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Labour and Social Policies Luigi Di Maio. The aircraft, which will be delivered between 2019 and 2021, will be used by Kingwing General Aviation (Kingwing) to perform EMS (Emergency Medical Service) missions in China. These latest orders, strengthening the collaboration between Leonardo and Sino-US in China, build on existing contracts for EMS helicopters signed by Sino-US in recent years which include 34 AW119Kx single engines, 24 AW139s and 25 AW109 Trekkers.

Leonardo and Sino-US also announced the signing of a Heads of Agreement (HoA) to further expand their long term relationship. Under the HoA, Sino-US is confirmed as the exclusive distributor of Leonardo helicopters in the Chinese civil and commercial helicopter market, with a purchase and delivery plan for 160 aircraft, including various types in the 2019-2023. The HoA also foresees the establishment of a Leonardo Authorised Training Academy in China in partnership with Sino-US, and the setup of a Completion and Customization Centre managed by Sino-US with the capability to configure, customise and complete the helicopters delivered by Leonardo in-country. Leonardo and Sino-US started their successful collaboration in 2013 and their partnership is now entering in a new phase of increased collaboration to ensure the continued support of the growing fleet in the country.

Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo CEO, said: “With the new orders and Heads of Agreement signed today, Leonardo reinforces its leading position in China, a fast-growing and highly competitive market where our state-of-the-art helicopters are performing challenging emergency medical support operations every day, serving communities around the nation. We’re extremely pleased with our strong partnership with Sino-US. This latest agreement provides further evidence of Leonardo’s commitment to expand its range of customer services available close to operators around the world, as its fleet and customer base grow stronger, in support of the framework of  Leonardo’s Industrial Plan.”

Jianming ZOU, President of Shanghai Kingwing General Aviation Co., Ltd., said “Leonardo is supplying a world class type in the AW139. It has been a great partner in supporting the expansion of our company and investing in China, a fast-growing market.””

Over 185 Leonardo helicopters, of various types, have now been sold to Chinese customers for a range of both commercial and public services. This includes the Company maintaining its leading position in the EMS market with a 70% market share.

With further deliveries planned over the next few years, Chinese civil operator Kingwing will become one of the largest operators of Leonardo helicopters worldwide.

Website NEWS … World Rotors, Leonardo Helicopters AW109S Trekker I-PTFO [JA36MP].

Posted by dgualdo on 17/05/2018
Posted in: Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, Website NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , , .

Thanks to Tiziano CAPENTI for this image of the second produced Leonardo Helicopters AW109S Trekker ( c/n 22703 ) now flying testing as I-PTFO. This helicopter was reserved as JA36MP and will be operated on behalf of Tokyo Metropolitan Police once delivered in Japan.