Leonardo orders flying in at Verticon
March 13, 2025
Leonardo is flying high after securing close to €370 million in helicopter orders at this year’s Verticon. The company has signed deals for nearly 30 helicopters at the show, which has been taking place this week in Dallas.
The deals which have come from operators across Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region reinforce Leonardo’s strong market presence globally. Orders span various models, including the AW109 GrandNew, AW169, AW139 and AW189 alongside preliminary sales contracts for 15 AW09 next-generation single-engine helicopters for customers in Europe and Southeast Asia. Leonardo also announced its expansion into new markets, supporting the energy sector and rescue missions with the AW169 and AW189, as well as the latest simulation technologies for pilot training, including the VxR virtual and extended reality pilot simulator.
Key order highlights
Among the standout deals Leonardo secured its first civil order in Europe and the global Emergency Medical Service sector for the latest variant of the AW169. Gama Aviation signed the contract for three AW169 helicopters in the UK, featuring up to 300kg of additional payload and better capabilities on unprepared terrains. Additionally, Gama Aviation ordered two AW139s as part of its fleet modernisation strategy with new assets scheduled for delivery from 2025 to 2028.
Marwan Khalek, Gama Aviation’s CEO, said he was “delighted” to be placing the order and “to be the global Emergency Medical Services (EMS) launch customer for the evolved AW169.”
Further strengthening its footprint in the EMS sector, Parkview Samaritan ordered an AW169 in the US for their critical care transport programme, while Egypt’s Petroleum Air Services (PAS) agreed a contract for five AW169s. Texas-based Sabine Harbor Pilots announced their intention to leverage two in-service AW169s from HeliService US for Harbor Pilot Shuttle (HPS) operations.
With the AW139 a bestseller in its class for multiple applications, the helicopter type continues to expand its reach. China General Aviation Company purchased three AW139s, adding to the growing Chinese civil AW139 fleet, which recently welcomed three units for CITC Offshore Helicopter Company. Australian operator LifeFlight and joint venture partner StarFlight also placed an order for four AW139s to support EMS, law enforcement, oil and gas operations as well as search and rescue response missions.
Expanding VIP presence
A leader in the multi-engine VIP/ corporate market, Leonardo continues to expand its presence in this sector through its exclusive Agusta brand. Marking 30 years as Leonardo’s official distributor in the UK and Ireland, Sloane of the UK announced plans to add five more AW109 GrandNew light twin helicopters to its fleet. Meanwhile Japan’s Aero Asahi signed for two AW169s, further cementing the model’s presence in the country’s passenger transport market. Another Japanese partner, Mitsui Bussan Aerospace, committed to acquiring 11 helicopters comprising a mix of AW169, AW139 and AW189 aircraft.
Norwegian operator Lufttransport also signed a contract for two AW189s, while North Slope Borough (NSB) of Alaska announced an order for two AW189s to support all-weather EMS and SAR operations across the Arctic Circle.
In Latin America, Synerjet Latina, Leonardo’s official distributor for civil helicopters in Colombia, Peru, Chile and Paraguay, placed an order for two AW169s. Additionally, the company was appointed as the official distributor for the next-generation AW09 single-engine helicopter in the these markets.
In Asia, Helitech Asia announced an order for ten AW109s, while Turkey’s Kaan Air secured five units, bringing the total number of preliminary sales contracts for the AW109 close to 130 units globally, according to Leonardo.
Future growth
Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director for Leonardo Helicopters, emphasised the company’s ongoing commitment to developing a modern product range featuring the latest technologies, meeting the highest certification and safety standards and promoting sustainability.
“The latest announcements at Verticon testify we’re on the right path to further increase our competitive advantage as we keep working towards a constant enhancement of our offer,” Cutillo stated.
He also highlighted the energy industry as a key market focus, with nearly 500 Leonardo helicopters currently supporting offshore transport. With new developments in wind farm support, harbour pilot shuttles and dedicated offshore SAR operations – driven by evolving environmental regulations – the energy support market is expected to steadily increase over the next five years.
