Story ID: 318
Leonardo Bullish on AW169 Sales
By: Mark Huber
Caption: AW169 Offer more options, capabilities.
Word Count: 485
Leonardo Helicopters senior executives expect the new 4.8 ton maximum gross weight AW169 medium twin to sell as well as its extremely popular AW139 sibling. “I personally expect it to be as prolific as the AW139,” said Robert Brant, vice president, Americas commercial business for Leonardo Helicopters. That's a high bar, considering that the larger AW139 has sold more than 900 copies, but Brant said Leonardo is “very optimistic” for the aircraft this year now that it has gleaned FAA certification. Brant points to the AW169's competitive price point, relatively smaller exterior footprint and larger amount of cabin space compared to other aircraft in its class as reasons he thinks the AW169 will sell well. An AW169 outfitted with executive interior will be on display here at Heli-Expo and after the show will embark on a demonstration tour.

Through the beginning of this year, Leonardo (Booth C3225) had orders for more than 160 AW169s and had delivered 50. The first VIP models are slated to reach U.S. customers later this spring. The worldwide fleet has accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours to date. Approximately 40 percent of all AW169s ordered have been sold with VIP interiors. Brant estimated that an AW169 typically equipped with such an interior would retail in the $10 million range; however, he said that Leonardo has yet to release 2018 pricing.

Leonardo offers customers a variety of VIP interior stylings: Diamond, which features five passengers on reclining seats with options for up to seven seats; Pearl, with six passengers on four reclining seats and two fixed, with options up to seven seats; Gold, with six passengers on two reclining seats and four fixed, with options up to seven seats; and Silver with eight passengers on fixed seats. The interior options catalog runs more than 80 pages and choices include sliding or hinged doors cabin separation walls, selection of luxury finishes/veneers/liners, armrest cabinets, central cabinets, reading lights, and USB ports. A cabin Wi-Fi system is under development as is a full icing protection system (FIPS) and an external 300-gallon Simplex fire-suppression tank as part of a three-ship EMS/multi-mission order from Travis County (Texas) STAR Flight.  

The AW169 features a pair of 1,000-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A engines and Rockwell Collins glass-panel touchscreen avionics with four-axis digital automatic flight control system and dual flight management systems. AW169s are also equipped with a variable-speed main rotor, which improves efficiency and reduces external noise, and the helicopter is the first in its category entering the market with electrically actuated retractable landing gear. Top cruising speed is 155 knots and maximum range is 505 nm. The 222-cu-ft cabin can accommodate seven to 10 passengers.

The aircraft received initial FAA certification approval in February 2017 and recently was approved for a gross weight increase to 4.8 tons, giving it a mission payload increase of 440 pounds or a range increase of 80 nm.