Final Stretch To Certification For Leonardo AW609 Civil Tilt-Rotor Although Leonardo does not want to say the exact date that certification of the AW609 Civil Tilt-Rotor aircraft will happen we know for sure that the program is on the final stretch. So much so that both FAA and EASA Staff have flown the test bed aircraft in a run-up to the final Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). There are three customer-bound AW609s in final assembly being worked on in anticipation of final certification of the program.
With the program on the final stretch to full certification attention is being turned to the ramp-up and fulfillment of customer orders. This is where details appear to be in the 'grey'. Leonardo isn't forthcoming about their order intake for the aircraft so it is not clear how many of the type they have on order. There are rumours going around that a four-aircraft contract is the largest order the type has received so far but that has not been substantiated. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 powered AW609 Civil Tilt-Rotor is promising 300 mile per hour cruising speeds with a range in the region of 864 miles. The AW609 Civil Tilt-Rotor is ideally suited to a range of missions including VIP and Executive Transport, Parapublic, Medical and Rescue Services and Energy Services. For more information: Leonardo Via Giovanni Agusta, 520 21017 Cascina Costa di Samarate (VA) Italy www.helicopters.leonardo.com ***
