Rotorcraft
Leonardo AW109 Light Twin Helicopter Turns 50
Leonardo's light twin helicopter made its first flight in 1971.

Leonardo’s AW109 light twin turned 50 on Wednesday. Originally designated the A109, the light twin helicopter made its first flight on Aug. 4, 1971, and was the company’s (then known as Agusta) first autonomous design. The helicopter entered service in 1976 and since then more than 1,600, including updated variants, have been sold in more than 50 countries.