AgustaWestland's AW169 Receives Aviation Safety Certificate

Fimeccanica-AgustaWestland’s new generation AW169 helicopter has been issued with type certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday.

The company announced Thursday that it has achieved EASA type certification less than five years after the AW169 programme launch.

The 4.6 tonne helicopter is the first all new aircraft in its weight category to enter the market in more than 30 years. It sets new certification and safety standards and marking the operational readiness of the whole AW Family.

The first units will be delivered from the Vergiate final assembly line in Italy. A second AW169 final assembly line is being established at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia plant in the USA.

AgustaWestland’s Yeovil plant in UK plays a key role in the production of rotor blades and the tail rotor transmission system.

A Flight Training Device (FTD) and a maintenance training simulator are already operational at AgustaWestland’s Sesto Calende Training Academy in Italy, while a Level D Full Flight Simulator will be available in 2016.

Designed with inherent dual-use capabilities, the AW169 is also suited for the wide scope of parapublic and government applications and will be able to meet military and naval requirements.