Maiden flight for 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.