Milestone Aircraft To Be Operated By Italy's Guardia Di Finanza

Leonardo has delivered its 1,000th AW139 helicopter. The event represents a historic achievement: the AW139 is the most important helicopter programme in the last 15 years at an international level, and it is also able to set a production record in the Italian aviation industry's outlook. The 1,000th machine of this model was delivered to Italy’s Guardia di Finanza during an official celebration which was held at Leonardo’s plant in Vergiate (Varese - Italy), in the presence of institutional representatives, customers, partners and suppliers, as well as the company’s top management and employees.

The AW139’s first flight dates back to the beginning of 2001. The helicopter boasts orders of over 1,100 units from more than 280 customers in over 70 countries on all continents. The aircraft has shown extraordinary levels of reliability and operational capabilities with almost 2.5 million flight hours recorded since the first delivery took place at the beginning of 2004. Data of use testifies to the extreme versatility of the AW139 which satisfies any market need: more than 30 percent for public utility tasks such as search and rescue and air ambulance, law enforcement, firefighting, disaster relief; over 30 percent for offshore transport; around 20 percent for military tasks; the rest account for VIP, institutional and corporate transport missions.

"What we celebrate today is much more than the success of a product or of a company. It is the global affirmation of an asset of our entire country. Thanks to the commitment, knowledge and professional skills present at Leonardo and to our products, like the AW139, our host of technologies and history of flight innovation – these all form important pillars of our industrial capabilities," said Leonardo's CEO, Alessandro Profumo. "The AW139 is a striking example of the role that Leonardo plays and intends to continue to have in the world. All our values are reflected in the AW139: continuous innovation, internationalisation, proximity to the market and to the customer, and the enhancement of human resources."

“With the AW139 the company has been able to create an extraordinary programme with international roots and with its global success this has allowed us to reach the top of the industry’s world helicopter market," said Leonardo Helicopters’ Managing Director, Gian Piero Cutillo. "Without the self-denial, the preparation and the passion of workers from different generations and nationalities who believed in and worked on its development, and who still follow it in its operational path by constantly confronting the market and customers, all this would not have been possible."

The AW139 fleet has a global presence: around 30 percent in Europe, almost as much in Asia and Australasia, 15 percent in the American continent, followed by the Middle East. The international success of the AW139 is so important that to meet market demands the helicopter is produced on different assembly lines both in Italy, in the Vergiate plant, and in the United States in Philadelphia.

The AW139, along with Leonardo’s other new generation models, has played a significant role in the evolution of the market. These aircraft have contributed to the company taking a 40 percent share of the world’s civil sector in terms of value in 2018.

(Image provided with Leonardo Helicopters news release)

FMI: www.leonardocompany.com