AW609 TiltRotor completes first Test Inspection Authorization (TIA) flights
March 18, 2025
About one week earlier, FlightGlobal’s Dominic Perry reported that Federal Aviation Administration pilots had begun Type Inspection Authorization flights of the AW609 tiltrotor from the Leonardo Helicopters’ plant in Philadelphia.
Perry said that Matteo Ragazzi, senior vice-president of engineering and innovation at Leonardo Helicopters had told journalists that: “The FAA is now flying the aircraft for the final steps of certification.”
TIA flights were undertaken using Aircraft 5, while Aircraft 4 remained in Italy for testing by Leonardo Helicopters. FAA certification will require 150 flying hours of function and reliability testing.
A sixth prototype has been completed and is expected to fly during the second quarter of 2025, while three customer aircraft are in build.
The latest Leonardo statement said that: “This significant milestone brings us one step closer to revolutionizing the future of vertical flight. We would like to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to the FAA for their continued support and unwavering commitment to helping us reach this achievement during this flight testing. We are excited about the future and look forward to working together to bring the AW609 to the aviation community.”
