AgustaWestland AW109
The AgustaWestland AW109 is a light-weight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter built by the Anglo-Italian manufacturer AgustaWestland. First flown as the Agusta A109 in 1971, the craft has proven itself in light transport, medevac, search-and-rescue, and military roles.
The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala is a more economical single-engine variant.
Design and development
In the late 1960s Agusta designed the A109 as a single-engined commercial helicopter. It was soon realised that a twin-engined design was needed and it was re-designed in 1969 with two Allison 250-C14 turboshaft engines. A projected military version (the A109B) was not developed and the company concentrated on the eight-seat version the A109C.[1] The first of three prototypes made its maiden flight on 4 August 1971.[2] A protracted development then followed and the first production aircraft was not completed until April 1975. Delivery of production machines started in early 1976. The aircraft soon became a success and was soon used for roles other than as a light transport including as an air ambulance and search-and-rescue. In 1975 Agusta returned again to the possibility of a military version and trials were carried out between 1976 and 1977 with five A109As fitted with Hughes Aircraft TOW missiles. Two military versions were then developed, one for light attack or close support and another for naval operations.
Fuselages of A109 are made by PZL-Świdnik. In June 2006 the 500th fuselage was delivered by this manufacturer, marking 10 years of co-operation between the two companies.[3]
The sale of the Agusta A109 to the Belgian armed forces in 1988 gave rise to a bribery scandal when it was alleged the company had given the Belgian Socialists over 50 million Belgian francs to get the sale. This scandal led to the resignation and conviction of NATO Secretary General Willy Claes.
The Agusta A109 became renamed the AW109 following the July 2000 merger of Finmeccanica S.p.A. and GKN plc's respective helicopter subsidiaries Agusta and Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland.
In August 2008, Scott Kasprowicz and Steve Sheik broke the round-the-world speed record using a factory-standard AgustaWestland Grand, with a time of 11 days, 7 hours and 2 minutes. The A109S Grand is also the fastest helicopter from New York to Los Angeles.[4][5]
Variants
- A109A: The first production model, powered by two Allison Model 250-C20 turboshaft engines. It made its first flight on 4 August 1971. Initially, the A109 was marketed under the name of "Hirundo" (Latin for the swallow), but this was dropped within a few years.
- A109A EOA: Military version for the Italian Army.
- A109A Mk II: Upgraded civilian version of the A109A.
- A109A Mk.II MAX: Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109A Mk.II with extra wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side
- A109B: Unbuilt military version.
- A109C: Eight-seat civil version, powered by two Allison Model 250-C20R-1 turboshaft engines.
- A109C MAX: Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109C with extra-wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side
- A109D: One prototype only
- A109E Power: Upgraded civilian version, initially powered by two Turbomeca Arrius 2K1 engines. Later the manufacturer introduced an option for two Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines to be used – both versions remain known as the A109E Power
- A109E Power Elite: stretched cabin version of A109E Power. This variant, which is operated by the RAF, has a glass cockpit with two complete sets of pilot instruments and navigation systems, including a three-axis autopilot, an auto-coupled Instrument Landing System and a satellite-based Global Positioning System. There is also a Moving Map Display, weather radar and a Traffic Alerting System.[6]
- A109LUH: Military LUH "Light Utility Helicopter" variant based on the A109E Power. Operators include South African Air Force as well as Sweden, New Zealand and Malaysia
- MH-68A: Eight A109E Power aircraft were used by the United States Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville (HITRON Jacksonville) as short range armed interdiction helicopters from 2000 until 2008 when they were replaced with MH-65C Dolphins.[7] Agusta designated these armed interdiction aircraft as "Mako" until the U. S. Coast Guard oficially named it the MH-68A Stingray in 2003. The HITRON configuration included a rescue hoist, emergency floats, FLIR, Spectrolab NightSun search light, a 7.62mm M240D machine gun and a Barrett M107 semi-automatic .50 caliber sniper rifle with laser sight.[8]
- A109K: Military version.
- A109K2: High-altitude and high-temperature operations with fixed wheels rather than the retractable wheels of most A109 variants. Typically used by police, search and rescue, and air ambulance operators
- A109M: Military version.
- A109KM: Military version for high altitude and high temperature operations.
- A109KN: Naval version.
- A109CM: Standard military version.
- A109GdiF: Version for Guardia di Finanza, the Italian Finance Guard
- A109BA : Version created for the Belgian Army.
- AW109S Grand: Lengthened cabin-upgraded civilian version with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207 engines and lengthened main rotor blades with different tip design to the Power version.
- CA109: Chinese version of A109, manufactured by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation under license.
- AW109 Grand New (or AW109 SP) : single IFR, TAWS and EVS, especially for EMS
Operators
Civilian and government operators
The AW109 has been popular with many air charter companies and other small operators. Major fleet operators have included:
- New Zealand
- Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust
- Australia
- Mexico
- Philippines
- Airgurus Ltd. Co. Aviation Services [9]
- United States
Military operators
- Algeria
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Belgium
- Chile
- Greece
- New Zealand
- Royal New Zealand Air Force Five aircraft will be delivered from October 2010 to replace Bell 47 Sioux. The proposed service name for these aircraft is "Mako".[11] In 2010 the NZ government signaled the future purchase of three additional aircraft, which would bring the total to eight.[12]
- Malaysia
- Nigeria
- Nigerian Navy Three originally bought; one lost in 2007; two more commissioned in 2009.
- Paraguay
- Paraguayan Air Force
- Grupo Aéreo de Helicópteros/GAH – 1 A.109 for Presidential transport (1993–1998)
- Slovenia
- United Kingdom
- United States
Specifications
Agusta A109 Power
Data from www.agustawestland.com[13] [14]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
(Agusta A109 LUH only)
- Guns: possibilities include 12.7 mm machine gun (250 rounds) in pod, pintle mounted 7.62 mm machine gun, door gunner post 12.7 mm machine gun
- Missiles: possibilities include 2 × TOW missile launchers (2 or 4 missiles each), unguided rockets in pods (2.75 in or 81 mm rockets with 7 or 12 tubes per pod), rocket/machine gun pod (70 mm × 3 rockets and 12.7 mm machine gun (200 rounds))
See also
- Related development
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Related lists
References
- "The A-109A – Agusta's Pace-Setter". Air International, October 1978, Vol. 15 No. 4. pp. 159–166, 198.
External links
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![[2]](http://www.avejer.ejercito.mil.ar/GalFot/A109vol.jpg){kind=link}