Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Leonardo this week marked&nbsp;the 20th&nbsp;anniversary of the first flight of its AW139 intermediate twin helicopter. The worldwide fleet of 1,100 aircraft delivered has amassed more than three million flight hours since the model entered service in 2004.

 


The Italian manufacturer launched the new model&nbsp;in 1997, originally designating it as the AB139 when it was being jointly developed&nbsp;with Bell. In 2005, then-AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) took sole ownership of the program, paying Bell $95 million for its 25 percent stake.

 


Today, Leonardo plants in Vergiate, Italy, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, produce&nbsp;the helicopter, with more than 280 customers in 70 countries now operating the machine. According to Leonardo, AW139s account for about half of the global helicopter fleet used for&nbsp;search and rescue and air ambulance, law enforcement, fire-fighting, disaster relief, and military missions. The model also has a strong presence in the offshore energy market, where AW139s are increasingly replacing larger helicopters.

 


Capabilities added to the AW139 over the years include 1,000 mission kits and equipment, wireless data loading, synthetic vision, enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), anti-icing systems, and an increased mtow from 14,110 to 15,432 pounds.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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