Maiden flight for AW169

AgustaWestland AW169

The AW169 was flown by the AgustaWestland chief test pilot, Giuseppe Lo Coco, test pilot Giuseppe Afruni, and flight test engineers Massimo Longo and Stefano Rognoni at the company’s Cascina Costa plant in Italy. The helicopter performed as expected during the flight.

The first prototype will be joined by two more aircraft later this year and a fourth prototype in 2013.

Bruno Spagnolini, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland said “The AW169 is the only new generation helicopter in its category to be launched in decades, so this is an important milestone for the continued enhancement of AgustaWestland’s product range and for the development of our family of new generation helicopters.”

Spagnolini added “With both the AW169 and AW189 now flying and the AW139 established as the market leader in it class, we are able to offer the market the most advanced range of helicopters across the 4 to 8 tonne weight classes in the shortest possible timescales. Operator will for the first time ever, in the helicopter market, be able to benefit from the advantages of a family concept of three new generation helicopters.”

The AW169 is part of AgustaWestland’s family of new generation helicopters that includes the AW139 and AW189 models.

Launched at the Farnborough International Air Show in July 2010, the AW169 has orders for more than 50 units so far from customers worldwide.

AgustaWestland released a short video of the AW169 maiden flight