HANGAR TALK Industry news relevant to your business
Leonardo Celebrates 700th Helicopter Delivery from U.S. Production Line
In November, Leonardo’s 700th American-made helicopter was delivered from its production line in Philadelphia, representing an enormous milestone achievement in the United States that speaks to the technical maturity of its industrial operations in the U.S. The actual 700th aircraft, an AW119Kx single-engine, was delivered to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
While Leonardo began operating in the United States in 1980, it was only in 2004 when the site began to fully produce helicopters on an FAA-certified Part 21 production line. Beginning first in 2004 with the AW119 and in 2005 with the AW139, a 115,000-square-foot addition was built onto the sprawling, 26-acre campus that already included aftermarket support and administrative functions for the U.S.
“With the 700th aircraft delivery, Leonardo continues to grow in the U.S. market significantly,” said Clyde Woltman, CEO of Leonardo Helicopters-U.S. “This milestone solidifies Leonardo as a domestic leader in the research, design, development, and production of rotorcraft for civil and military applications, using the latest technology and highest quality standards.”
In less than 20 years, Leonardo has locally produced aircraft for a multitude of mission sets, including emergency medical, homeland security, search and rescue, firefighting, offshore energy, utility missions, and corporate transportation. In 2018, the site began to include production for military programs, first with the MH-139 Grey Wolf for the U.S. Air Force with Boeing, a variant of the popular AW139, and in 2021 with the TH-73 Thrasher for the U.S. Navy, derived from the AW119.
“The United States remains the world’s largest market for helicopters, and the constant expansion of our industrial and service capabilities in Philadelphia and other U.S. locations over years has provided evidence of our commitment to being an in- country reliable and leading partner of U.S. operators, industry players and authorities,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters. “While the achieved results speak for themselves, we are ready to do more as testified by the continued flow of AW119/AW139 export and the start of production of the first batch of customer AW609s, the world’s first tiltrotor set to be civil certified.”
With the earlier expansions, the most current additions, and employee growth nearing 1,000, Leonardo continues to maintain its high standards delivering best-in-class aircraft and comprehensive support and training services. Here’s to 700- plus helicopters, produced and maintained by the company’s finest techs in the United States.
28 Jan/Feb 2024
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
