![]() Further development Ī Belgian A109BA performing a display flight, 2013 From these endeavours, two different military versions of the A109 emerged, one being intended for light attack/close air support missions while the other was optimised for shipboard operations. In 1975, Agusta's design team revisited the concept of a military version to support their work, a series of flying trials were carried out between 19 involving a total of five A109As that had been outfitted with Hughes Aircraft-built TOW missiles. The type offered several advantages over the then- market leading Bell 206, including its greater top speed, twin-engine redundancy, and increased seating capacity. ĭuring 1976, deliveries of production A109s commenced to civil customers. On 1 June 1975, the type received certification for visual flight rules (VFR) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), permitting the A109 to be operated in North America. Almost four years later, the first production helicopter was officially completed during April 1975. The A109 was subject to a protracted flight testing phase, which was largely attributable to the discovery of dynamic instability that took roughly one year to resolve via a modified transmission design. On 4 August 1971, the first of three prototypes performed the type's maiden flight. In particular, design efforts were concentrated on the eight-seat A109C model. While early considerations had been made for a militarised model, which the company internally referred to as the A109B, Agusta intentionally placed a low priority on the work for this variant in favour of other market sectors. However, the design team came to recognise that the market found a twin-engine rotorcraft to be more attractive, thus the project was reoriented to fulfil this in 1969, opting to outfit it with a pair of Allison 250-C14 turboshaft engines. Known as the A109, early designs were of a single-engine helicopter. Work on what would become the AW109 commenced during the late 1960s at the Italian helicopter manufacturer Agusta, which sought to design an indigenous rotorcraft suitable for commercial activities. The AgustaWestland AW119 is a derivative of the AW109, the principal difference being that it is powered by a single engine and has a fixed undercarriage.Īgusta A109 K2 of the Rega over Mount Pilatus The AW109 has been in continuous production for 40 years. AgustaWestland formed a joint venture with the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation in 2004 that produces and supports the AW109, includes a final assembly line, in China. Furthermore, hundreds of AW109 fuselages have been manufactured by the Polish aerospace company PZL-Świdnik since the mid-1990s. International involvement in the programme has also been pursued the company has established final assembly lines at sites in both Italy and the US. Various third party companies also offer adaptions and services for the type.įollowing the merger of Agusta and the British company Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland, the A109 has been rebranded as the AW109. Some AW109s feature an convertible interior to quickly adapt the rotorcraft between roles. Several models with alternative engines, expanded fuselages, and alternative equipment fitouts have been produced. ![]() Dedicated military models have been produced for both land and sea operations. The A109 has been used in a wide variety of roles, including light utility, VIP transport, aeromedical, law enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), and several military roles. On 1 June 1975, the type received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), permitting its service entry in 1976. On 4 August 1971, the first of three prototypes made its maiden flight. A twin-engine arrangement was pursued in response to market interest, while work on the civil model was prioritised over the military-orientated A109B project. ĭevelopment of the A109 commenced during the late 1960s as an indigenous rotorcraft suited to commercial operations. (formerly AgustaWestland, merged into the new Finmeccanica since 2016). Its production has been continued by Agusta's successor companies, presently Leonardo S.p.A. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to be mass-produced. The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta.
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