AgustaWestland delivers new helicopter to Japan

AgustaWestland GrandNew

AgustaWestland has delivered an AgustaWestland 109 GrandNew light twin engine helicopter to the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

AgustaWestland GrandNew

The helicopter will be used to gather news and to take aerial photography. The aircraft is the first GrandNew helicopter to be sold in Japan and is the first of its type to be used for Electronic News Gathering.

The helicopter is fitted six forward facing seats allowing cameras to be more easily used taking film and pictures through the windows and cabin doors. The aircraft is to be customised in Japan and should enter service in the early part of 2011.

Currently, the GrandNew version of the helicopter has over 50 outstanding orders from customers around the world after being launched in February 2010.