AgustaWestland AW109

Infobox Aircraft
name= AW109 (A109)


caption= A Helinet A109E over Los Angeles
type= SAR/utility helicopter
manufacturer= Agusta AgustaWestland
designer=
first flight= 4 August 1971
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user= Italian Army
more users= REGA (Swiss Air Rescue) Royal Australian Navy United States Coast Guard
produced=
number built=
unit cost= US$ 6.3 million
developed from =
variants with their own articles= AgustaWestland AW119

The AgustaWestland AW109 (formerly A109) is a helicopter manufactured by Agusta (now AgustaWestland) of Italy. It is a light-weight, twin engine, eight seat multi-purpose helicopter. The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala is a single-engine development.

Design and development

In the late 1960s Agusta designed the A109 as a single-engined commercial helicopter. It was soon realised that a twin-engined design was needed and it was re-designed in 1969 with two Allison 250-C14 turboshaft engines. A projected military version (the A109B) was not developed and the company concentrated on the eight-seat version the A109C. The first of three prototypes first flew on the 4 August 1971. A long protracted development then followed and the first production aircraft was not completed until April 1975. Delivery of production machines started in early 1976. The aircraft soon became a success and was soon used for roles other than as a light transport including as an air ambulance and search-and-rescue. In 1975 Agusta returned again to the possibility of a military version and trials were carried out between 1976 and 1977 with five A109As fitted with Hughes Aircraft TOW missiles. Two military versions were then developed, one for light attack or close support and another for naval operations.

The helicopter is notable for having retractable landing gear, unlike many other similar aircraft.

Fuselages of A109 are made by PZL Świdnik. In June 2006 the 500th fuselage was delivered by this manufacturer, marking 10 years of successful co-operation between the two companies. [ [http://www.pzl.swidnik.pl/AN5000/5100/5100_a_wiadomosciwydarzenia.htm Wiadomości I Wydarzenia ] ]

The sale of the Agusta A109 to the Belgian armed forces in 1988 gave rise to a bribery scandal when it was revealed the company had given the Belgian Socialists over 50 million francs to get the sale. This scandal led to the resignation and conviction of NATO Secretary General Willy Claes.

Variants

* A109A: The first production model, powered by two Rolls-Royce Model 250-C20 turboshaft engines. It made its first flight on 4 August 1971. Initially, the A109 was marketed under the name of "Hirundo" (Latin for the swallow bird) but this was dropped within a few years.
** A109A EOA: Military version for the Italian Army.
** A109A Mk II: Upgraded civilian version of the A109A.
** A109A Mk.II MAX: Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109A Mk.II with extra wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side
* A109B: Unbuilt military version.
* A109C: Eight-seat civil version, powered by two Rolls-Royce Model 250-C20R-1 turboshaft engines.
** A109C MAX: Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109C with extra wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side
* A109D: One prototype only
* AW109E Power: Upgraded civilian version, initially powered by two Turbomeca Arrius 2K1 engines . Later the manufacturer introduced an option for two Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines to be used - both versions remain known as the A109E Power
** A109E Power Elite: stretched cabin version of A109E Power. This variant, which is operated by the RAF, has a glass cockpit with two complete sets of pilot instruments and navigation systems, including a three-axis autopilot, an auto-coupled Instrument Landing System and a satellite-based Global Positioning System. There is also a Moving Map Display, weather radar and a Traffic Alerting System. [ [http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/agusta.cfm RAF - Agusta A 109 E ] ]
** A109LUH: Military LUH "Light Utility Helicopter" variant based on the A109E Power. Operators include South African Air Force as well as Sweden and Malaysia
** MH-68A Stingray: Eight A109E Powers used by the United States Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville (HITRON Jacksonville) as short range armed interdiction helicopters.
* A109K: Military version.
* A109K2: High altitude and high temperature operations with fixed wheels rather than the retractable wheels of most A109 variants. Typically used by police, search and rescue, and air ambulance operators
* A109M: Military version.
** A109KM: Military version for high altitude and high temperature operations.
** A109KN: Naval version.
** A109CM: Standard military version.
** A109GdiF: Version for Guardia di Finanza, the Italian Finance Guard
** A109BA : Version created for the Belgian Army.
* AW109S Grand: Lengthened Cabin upgraded civilian version with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207 engines.
* CA109: Chinese version of A109, manufactured by Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation under license.

Operators

Military operators

; ALB ; ARG
* Argentine Army [http://www.avejer.ejercito.mil.ar/GalFot/A109vol.jpg] ;AUS
* Royal Australian Navy [cite press release |title=Four-Year Contract Announced for Navy's Skill Retention Helicopters |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/DepartmentalTpl.cfm?CurrentId=6358 |publisher=Australian Department of Defence |date=2007-02-07 |accessdate=2008-09-14]
** 723 Squadron RAN; BEL
* Belgian Air Component; BEN ; PRC
* CA109 Variant ; CHL
* Carabineros de Chile; GHA; GRE
* Hellenic Air Force ; ITA ; NZL; LAT ; MYS
* Malaysian Army
* Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency; MEX; NGA; PRY ; PER; ZAF ; SWE ; UK
* Army Air Corps
* Empire Test Pilots' School
* Royal Air Force; USA
* United States Coast Guard; VEN

pecifications

Agusta A109 Power

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop

ref=www.agustawestland.com [ [http://www.agustawestland.com/products01_02.asp?id_product=14&id=14 AgustaWestland A109 Power product page] ] [ [http://www.agustawestland.com/products01_05.asp?id=3&id_product=3&oggetto=armament AgustaWestland A109 LUH product page] ]
crew=1 or 2 pilots
capacity=7/6 passengers
length main=42 ft 9 in
length alt=13.04 m
span main= 36 ft 2 in
span alt=11.00 m
height main= 11 ft 6 in
height alt=3.50 m
area main=
area alt=
empty weight main= 3,461 lb
empty weight alt=2,000kgs
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
max takeoff weight main= 6,283 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 2,850 kg- 3,000kg (depending on version)

engine (prop)= Pratt & Whitney Canada 206C or Turbomeca Arrius 2K1
type of prop=turboshafts
number of props=2
power main= 567 hp or 571 hp
power alt=423 kW or 426 kW

max speed main=177 mph
max speed alt=154 knots, 285 km/h
combat radius main=
combat radius alt=
ferry range main= 599 mi
ferry range alt=521 NM, 964 km
ceiling main= 19,600 ft
ceiling alt=5,974 m
climb rate main=1,930 ft/min
climb rate alt=9.8 m/s
loading main=
loading alt=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=

armament= (Agusta A109 LUH only)
* Guns: possibilities include 12.7 mm machine gun (250 rounds) in pod, pintle mounted 7.62 mm machine gun, door gunner post 12.7 mm machine gun
* Missiles: possibilities include 2 × TOW missile launchers (2 or 4 missiles each), unguided rockets in pods (2.75 in or 81 mm rockets with 7 or 12 tubes per pod), rocket/machine gun pod (70 mm × 3 rockets and 12.7 mm machine gun (200 rounds))

ee also

aircontent
related=
* AgustaWestland AW119
* Agusta A129 Mangusta

similar aircraft=
* Aérospatiale Dauphin
* Bell 222/230
* Bell 430
* Eurocopter Dauphin
* Sikorsky S-76

lists=
* List of helicopters
* List of military aircraft of the United States

see also=

References

External links

* [http://www.agustawestland.com/products01_01.php?id_product=14 AgustaWestland AW109 Power page]
* [http://www.agustawestland.com/products01_01.php?id_product=30 AgustaWestland Grand page]