Leonardo has signed several "global contracts" and "a key collaboration for the USA market" for the AW09 helicopter.
The Italian chopper manufacturer said it has deals lined up for 50 units with several customers, including Aero Service Representação in Brazil, Synerjet Latina in Colombia, Peru and Chile, Helitech Asia, Safomar in South Africa, Diskopsa in Panama and Guatemala, Heliflite in in Japan.
Leonardo announced the deals at the HAI-HELI EXPO industry shindig being held in Atlanta, where it put pen to paper on an agreement with Metro Aviation, one of the largest privately-owned HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) operators in the US, to support the "introduction and positioning of the AW09 in the US".
“What we have announced at Heli-Expo is the culmination of three years’ work through which the AW09 benefited from considerable enhancements and has now reached a final configuration, allowing to offer the level of competitiveness that the market expects," said Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters.