AW189 enters full scale production

                            
AgustaWestland announced that the new AW189 helicopter has entered full scale production with the first two offshore-configured aircraft now on the final assembly line at AgustaWestland’s Vergiate plant in Italy.

With EASA certification expected later this summer, the first two offshore AW189s will be delivered by the end of the year.

Daniele Romiti, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland said “We are proud to achieve this major milestone on schedule. The start of full scale production brings us closer to the first AW189 delivery later this year and the when customers who already operate the AW139 will start benefitting from the Family advantage.”

The AW189 flight test programme has amassed over 1,500 flight hours so far, utilising six aircraft – four prototypes and two pre-production airframes. The “PP6” aircraft took to the air for the first time in May 2013 and is being used for the development of search and rescue configurations and mission kits.