“Leonardo and GDHF Forge Partnership to Deliver 10 Cutting-Edge AW189 Offshore Helicopters”

The globe’s most prosperous super-medium class helicopter is poised to further broaden its footprint in the international market, especially in offshore transport catering to the energy sector. Leonardo and helicopter rental firm GDHF have entered into a Framework Agreement to add ten more AW189s to the energy support sector, with deliveries anticipated between 2027 and 2029. This declaration was made during a formal event held at European Rotors in Amsterdam today.

Michael York (CEO of GDHF) stated, “GDHF is thrilled to formalize the Framework Agreement with Leonardo for ten additional brand new AW189s. GDHF has now committed to a total of 13 AW189s, and earlier this year we successfully integrated the first of these AW189s into our fleet. This substantial 10 x AW189 Framework Agreement will further augment GDHF’s capacity to support our clients globally and offer them additional highly efficient AW189 super-medium helicopters on lease. We extend our gratitude to Leonardo for their robust partnership as we collaborate to deliver comprehensive multi-mission AW189 solutions for our clients.”

The energy support sector is projected to steadily grow over the upcoming five years, fueled by new field developments (including wind farm support and offshore SAR in aid of the energy industry), in line with new environmental regulations and the adoption of advanced technologies. With nearly 500 helicopters of various types currently operational for offshore transportation, Leonardo stands as the market leader in energy support. Offshore operations necessitate high aircraft availability rates, with numerous flight hours recorded by the helicopters utilized for this purpose. By leveraging data collection and analysis from the demanding offshore market and its intensive operations, Leonardo can further enhance the overall service quality, product offerings, and training capabilities of various models for all other uses. Intermediate and super-medium twin weight classes – such as the Leonardo AW139 and AW189 respectively – are anticipated to gradually dominate this sector for long-range operations, surpassing ageing heavier models.

Part of the AW Family of products, the AW189 (8.3/8.6 tonne) integrates exceptional payload and range with advanced technologies to effectively execute a wide range of missions, such as search and rescue, energy sector support, passenger transport, firefighting, and law enforcement. Distinctive attributes of the helicopter encompass the ability of the main transmission to function without oil for 50 minutes and a built-in auxiliary power unit. The AW189 is offered with over 200 certified kits and is the sole aircraft in its category equipped with a Full Ice Protection System (or, alternatively, a Limited Ice Protection System) certified for use in Europe, the US, and Canada. It comes with a comprehensive support and training service package uniquely tailored to meet specific client needs to maximize mission effectiveness and ensure operational safety. The type is also certified for an automatic data transmission system that allows the aircraft to relay flight data to a ground station via satellite communication during flight, 4G cellular connectivity, or Wi-Fi while on the ground. It provides a secure means to share an accurate overview of each flight, enabling Leonardo experts to quickly assess data, thus optimizing maintenance and assistance.

Over 90 AW189s have been delivered to operators globally so far. Approximately 50 of these are currently utilized for offshore transport and have exceeded 155,000 flight hours in operations within this market. A decade after its certification, the AW189 continues to be the world’s frontrunner in the super-medium helicopter category by market size, number of operators, countries, and applications, including offshore transport, search and rescue, firefighting/disaster relief, law enforcement, and passenger transport. The AW189 is enhancing its presence in the fleets of existing clients while also being adopted by new operators, particularly within the energy and public service sectors.