AgustaWestland’s new CEO, Bruno Spagnolini, ensured that his company made a big splash at this year’s Paris Air Show, announcing a new helicopter, new joint ventures, plans to increase product support and service and takeover of the languishing civil tiltrotor program from development partner Bell Helicopter.
However, AW’s biggest news of the show was the introduction of the new AW189, an eight-ton twin civil variant of its AW149 that can seat 12 to 18 passengers and is aimed squarely at Eurocopter’s and Sikorsky’s share of the lucrative offshore oil service market. AW says the new helicopter is slated to enter service in 2014 and will be powered by twin, 2,000-shp General Electric CT7-2E1 Fadec-controlled turboshafts that feature built-in particle separators. In a clear shot at Sikorsky’s S-92A, AW emphasizes that the 189’s main gearbox will have 30-minute dry-run capability and will have a lower seat-mile cost than “more expensive 19-seat helicopters.”
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