Rotorcraft
AgustaWestland Buys Bell’s Stake in BA609 Tiltrotor
AgustaWestland is purchasing full ownership of the BA609 civil tiltrotor program from Bell Helicopter.

AgustaWestland is purchasing full ownership of the BA609 civil tiltrotor program from Bell Helicopter. AW’s new CEO, Bruno Spagnolini, and Bell CEO John Garrison announced the deal at the Paris Air Show on June 21. Under the proposed agreement, subject to regulatory approval, Bell will continue to provide engineering, program management services, and key component manufacture on the 609. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Garrison stressed that it did not include any technology transfer from the military Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. He said that Bell would continue to invest in that technology with the goal of competing in the Pentagon’s anticipated Joint Multi-Role helicopter program. (See “U.S. Army wants revolutionary new helos,” AIN, June, page 53)

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