AgustaWestland AW139
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2008) |
| AW139 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Spanish maritime search and rescue AW139. | |
| Role | Medium-lift SAR/utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | AgustaWestland |
| First flight | 3 February 2001 |
| Introduction | 2003 |
| Primary users | CHC Helicopter Irish Air Corps UAE Air Force |
| Number built | 400 |
| Developed into | AgustaWestland AW149 |
The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project. The AW149 is a medium-lift military helicopter being developed as an enlarged version of the AW139.
Design and development
The AW139 is a conventional twin-engined transport helicopter with a 5-blade fully articulated main rotor and a 4-blade tail rotor and a retractable landing gear.
The AW139 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C turboshaft engines. The helicopter is being marketed for use in a number of roles including Law Enforcement/Emergency Medical Service, Executive Transport, Search and Rescue, Maritime and Offshore Oil Operations.
The first AW139 flew on 3 February 2001 at Vergiate in Italy, and the first production aircraft on 24 June 2002. The first customer aircraft was delivered in 2003.
The company has orders for over 430 helicopters of which over 200 had been delivered by January 2009. It was a contender in the U.S. Army Light Utility Helicopter Program (2004–2006), but lost to the Eurocopter EC145-based UH-72A Lakota.
In 2007 a second production line at the AgustaWestland Aerospace plant in Philadelphia, United States was established.
At the Farnborough Air Show in 2006, AgustaWestland announced the AW149 as a multi-role battlefield helicopter variant of the AW139.
The Irish Air Corps began taking delivery of its first AW139s in 2007. The type will provide army co-operation capability to the Air Corps. They replace the Aerospatiale Alouette III in service.
In late 2006 it was announced that the Japan Coast Guard had selected the AW139 as the replacement for its fleet of Bell 212 helicopters. Twenty-four AW139s are expected to be delivered, beginning in 2008.
In June 2010, it was announced that Agusta and Rosvertol (Russian Helicopters) would build a plant in Tomilino, Moscow Region, jointly producing AW139s from late 2011.[1]
Variants
- AB139
- Original Italian-built production aircraft, 54 built.[2]
- AW139
- Designation change from 55th aircraft onwards.[2]
- AW139 (long nose configuration)
- Long nose variant with increased room for avionics built in both Italy and the United States.[2]
Notable accidents and incidents
- On 21 January 2010, a Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima AW-139SAR (registration EC-KYR), crashed into the sea close to Almeria. 3 people died.[3]
- On 23 February 2011, South Korean Coast Guard AW139 went missing off the southern island of Jeju. 5 people died.[4][5]
Operators
Military and government operators
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- Queensland Government (Emergency Management Queensland rescue helicopter)
- Ambulance Service of New South Wales (Wollongong and Bankstown)
- Border Police[6]
- Beijing Municipal Public Safety Bureau
- 3 on order for SAR and utility-EMS duties + 2 on order for Law Enforcement
- Estonian Border Guard- Operate 3 AW139s
- Andhra Pradesh - for use by Chief Minister.
- Gujarat - Gautam Adani
- Irish Air Corps- Operate 6 AW139s
- Corps of the Port Captaincies - Coast Guard (4 ordered, 3 in service by November 2010)
- Guardia di Finanza
- Korea Coast Guard (delivery 2009)
- Lebanese Army - The Lebanese Air Force operates one executive AW139 given as a gift by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa to be used by the Lebanese president General Michel Suleiman.[7]
- Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency: 3 delivered in late 2010[8]
- Government Air Transport Unit
- Dutch Police (up to 2 on Order, delivery 2009)[9]
- Police Air Wing
- National Aeronaval Service (up to 6 on Order, delivery not known yet)
- 6th Aviation Squadron for emergency relief operations (up to 5 on Order, delivery 2008)
- Qatar Emiri Air Force (18 on Order)
- Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima, used for roles including SAR and water pollution detection. (9 delivered - 1 crashed)
- Trinidad & Tobago Air Guard (TTAG) — Search & Rescue (SAR), Surface Surveillance, Law Enforcement, Drug Interdiction and Disaster Relief Operations. (Ordered 4: 2 received May 2011. Other 2 expected delivery from 2011/2012)
- Government Air Transport Unit
- Los Angeles City Fire Department
- Maryland State Police[10]
- United States Customs and Border Protection
New Jersey Sate Police
Civilian operators
- HNZCougar Helicopters (Karratha, Western Australia) Offshore Oil and Gas Support.
- CHC Helicopter
- Ornge (Ontario Air Ambulance), Ontario, Canada (10 on order for 2010-12 delivery)[11]
- Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), Alberta, Canada (2 on order for late 2009/2010 delevery)
- London Air Services[12]
- Sky Shuttle Helicopters - 6 provide scheduled passenger service between Hong Kong, Macau and China.
- Bel Air Aviation operate three AW139 for offshore work in the North Sea and the Gulf of Finland.[13]
- Copterline, starting from 2008. The regular flights shall take place between Tallinn (Estonia) and Helsinki (Finland).[14]
- Copterline, replacing Sikorsky S-76s.
- All Nippon Helicopter - operates 2 for news gathering of NHK.[15]
- Aero Asahi Corporation - operates 1 for news gathering of Kansai Telecasting Corporation.
- Helicopters New Zealand (Helicopters NZ), 5 plus options for 2 more. For offshore transport use supporting companies including Shell.
- HeliPortugal - Passenger service and offshore transport use.
- Gulf Helicopters - Offshore transport use.
- Saudi Aramco - 14 used for offshore and medical use.[16]
- Fire Blade investments, Anglo Platinuim
- Swiss Jet / Air Engiadina AG
- Aga Khan Foundation, a subsidiary of AKDN, uses 4 AW139s in Pakistan, Krgzystan and Tajikistan for humanitarian and relief purposes; in support of AKDN social uplift programs
- CHC Scotia, on behalf of HM Coastguard
- FB Heliservices, 2 operating from RAF Valley to provide search and rescue training for AgustaWestland export customers.
- Era Helicopters
- Bristow U.S. LLC
- Evergreen Helicopters
- PHI Inc.
Specifications AW139 (long nose)
Data from [2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 to 2
- Capacity: 15 passengers
Performance
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
- ^ http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/italian-russian-firms-to-build-helicopter-factory/408863.html
- ^ a b c d EASA Type Certicate Data Sheet
- ^ Interim statement A002/2010 - Accident involving an AgustaWestland AW139, registration EC-KYR, operated by INAER, off the Almeria coast, on 21 January 2010, at 19:16 UTC.
- ^ http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90036132?Rescue%20operation%20underway%20for%20missing%20South%20Korean%20maritime%20helicopter
- ^ http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932713
- ^ http://www.agustawestland.com/news/ministries-finance-and-interior-bulgaria-order-aw139-meet-border-police-requirement
- ^ Mitilian, Vatche. "News". The Independent Guide To The Lebanese Air Force. Retrieved 2008-12-26.
- ^ "Malaysia maritime agency receives three AW139 helicopters". Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ "Nieuwe helikopters voor Nederlandse politie" (in Dutch). Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (Netherlands). 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ AgustaWestland Awarded Contract by the Maryland State Police Aviation Command
- ^ "Ornge and Canadian Helicopters Income Fund Announce Agreement in Principle" (PDF) (Press release). Ornge. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
- ^ Welcome to London Air Services - Business Tools That Fly
- ^ [1]
- ^ Copterline - Etusivu
- ^ First All Nippon Helicopter’s AW139 Achieves Operational Readiness For Electronic News Gathering Missions, AgustaWestland
- ^ [2]
External links
