Leonardo has delivered its 700th American-made helicopter from its production facility in Philadelphia. The AW119Kx single-engine aircraft was delivered to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Leonardo began producing helicopters on its FAA Part 21-certified Philadelphia production line in 2004. The 26-acre Philadelphia campus employs nearly 1,000 and includes aftermarket support, administration, engineering, and training facilities. It has grown over the years to assemble the AW119 and AW139 models and their military variants—the Navy’s TH-73A training helicopter and the Air Force’s MH-139 in partnership with Boeing. It also houses engineering and development for the AW609 civil tiltrotor and will begin serial production of that aircraft upon certification.
“The United States remains the world’s largest market for helicopters,” Gian Piero Cutillo, Leonardo Helicopters’ managing director. “The constant expansion of our industrial and service capabilities in Philadelphia and other U.S. locations over the years is evidence of our commitment” to the U.S. market.
In addition to the Philadelphia campus, Leonardo operates U.S.-based customer support and service facilities in Broussard, Louisiana, and Milton, Florida.