60-minute flight accomplished permitting Bristow’s Program Supervisor for Superior Air Mobility Bryan Willows to expertise firsthand the AW609’s distinctive traits. Launch buyer Bristow Group’s first AW609 is now being assembled in Philadelphia. Bristow Group, the worldwide chief in vertical raise options and launch buyer for the AW609 Tiltrotor in america, participated in an indication flight in Philadelphia on Could 11. Bryan Willows, Bristow Program Supervisor for Superior Air Mobility, an aviator who beforehand flew the MV-22 Osprey for the U.S. Marine Corps, piloted the plane.
All through the sixty-minute flight, Willows skilled firsthand the distinctive traits of the world’s first tiltrotor set to obtain civil certification. He spent two days at Leonardo Helicopters’ United States headquarters in Philadelphia, the place he spent the primary a part of his go to present process floor coaching, together with superior flight simulation, earlier than transferring onto fly the true plane. “Flying the AW609 for the primary time was an thrilling expertise and necessary milestone for me,” mentioned Willows. “The AW609 is a vital plane as Bristow helps advance vertical flight expertise identical to we now have for the previous 70+ years.”
Commercial
This inaugural flight marks an necessary milestone for Leonardo and Bristow Group as they collaborate to introduce the AW609 plane into service. The AW609 is designed to carry out numerous missions, together with VIP/passenger transport, offshore/utility, emergency medical companies (EMS), and search and rescue (SAR). The primary Bristow plane is within the closing phases of manufacturing on the brand new AW609 closing meeting line in Philadelphia. Collectively, they’re working to outline mission capabilities, assessing ideas of operations, laws, upkeep, configuration optimization and doable areas of enhancement or modifications. Combining industrial and engineering capabilities with operational and market expertise and evaluation, this mutually useful partnership is maximizing the potential of the AW609.
Bristow and Leonardo have a historical past relationship again 25 years, with Bristow flying the AW119 single engine, AW109 mild twin, AW139 intermediate twin, and the AW189 tremendous medium. Bristow’s fleet of Leonardo helicopters consists of 90 plane, as we speak finishing up offshore transport, SAR, and EMS flights throughout North and South America, Europe, and Africa. The AW609 will revolutionize air transport due to its rotorcraft-like versatility and airplane-like efficiency. The AW609 excels at offering quick point-to-point transportation at lengthy ranges, whether or not connecting metropolis centres or offering well timed entry to distant places.
It may possibly transport as much as 9 passengers within the consolation of a pressurized cabin, remodeling personal and enterprise journey, EMS, SAR, offshore operations and patrol, serving these in each the personal and authorities sectors. So far, this system has logged greater than 1,700 flight hours in U.S. and Italy. Customers can be supplied with complete help and coaching packages, primarily headquartered at Leonardo’s new Coaching Academy in Philadelphia. Opened in 2021, it’s house to the world’s first AW609 full-flight Simulator. The continual improvement of cutting-edge options throughout all domains, together with quick rotorcraft and trendy air mobility, is a key ingredient of Leonardo’s BeTomorrow2030 Strategic Plan.
