Press Release

Issued by Leonardo Helicopters.

October 7, 2015

Finmeccanica-AgustaWestland announced today that HeliService international GmbH has signed a contract for an AW169 light intermediate helicopter. This aircraft will be delivered by autumn 2016 through specialist aviation lessor LCI Helicopters to undertake offshore operations in the North Sea.

This order marks the first AW169 customer for this application globally and the entry of the all new model into the German helicopter market. HeliService international's latest generation AW169 will feature a specially customized configuration including a dedicated offshore interior and rescue hoist to support maintenance personnel attending to wind turbines. HeliService international will achieve a quantum leap in its capabilities through the performance, technology and safety standards inherent in the modern design of the AW169 which makes it the most advanced helicopter in its category currently available for utility operations.

Managing directors Eberhard Herr and Nils Herrmann are certain: “After an extensive investigation of all relevant helicopter types available, we are fully confident to having chosen the perfect match for our offshore customer's demand for high quality and safe operation, yet being economically efficient. Also, the consistent development with the 'bigger brother' AW139 already in our fleet, convinced us to facilitate extra services while using the existing experiences of both our flight crews and our engineering department. Especially for hoist operations onto wind turbines, the AW169 outperforms in every relevant aspect, particularly in range and payload.”

Crispin Maunder, executive chairman of LCI, says: “We're delighted to be strengthening our existing partnership with Heliservice by introducing the innovative, new AW169 to their fleet alongside the AW139s we already lease to them. These state-of-the-art helicopters are helping to ensure the efficiency of Heliservice's operations.”