Leonardo announced today that Life Link III, a US helicopter rescue operator based in Minnesota and Wisconsin, has signed a contract for an AW169 helicopter and an AW109 Trekker for emergency medical transport missions. The helicopters will make it possible to provide the necessary care to patients during flight transport in the reference region and delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of 2021. The order marks the entry of the AW109 Trekker in the United States for EMS - Emergency Medfical tasks Service - and further increases the success of the AW169 in this market.
The AW169 is equipped with a spacious cabin with a volume of over 3 m3 and Life Link III will have an EMS interior certified by the US Civil Aviation Authority FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) capable of ensuring 360 degree access to the body of the patient, essential for the assistance to people in critical conditions during the flight. The helicopter can cover distances of up to 816 km, flying at a maximum speed of 296 km / h and can climb to over 4400 meters of altitude.
The Trekker features high-level features for EMS tasks in terms of interior, performance, advanced avionics and safety standards. The twin-engine helicopter is equipped with a Night Vision Goggle (NVG) system, can operate under the instrument flight rules with a single pilot, and features a custom interior in line with Life Link III requirements.
The sale will bring Life Link III's fleet of Leonardo helicopters to a total of 14 units and the operator will be the first to use a mixed fleet of single-engine AW119 IFR and AW109 Trekker, machines that have the same basic avionics, thereby ensuring way unique benefits in terms of fleet management, training, safety and support. The existing fleet includes 10 AW119 Kxs that have flown for more than 21.000 hours. Additionally, in July of this year, Life Link III signed a contract for the first IFR-certified AW119 in the civilian market - with instrument flight capability that will allow the operator to perform safer missions and operations in all weather conditions. Delivery of the helicopter is expected in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Lee McCammon, Head of Operations for Life Link III, commented, “The addition of an AW109 Trekker and AW169 will restore instrument flight capability to Life Link III and further enhance our ability to service our communities. of safe, fast and reliable air medical transport. Our important relationship with Leonardo confirms our commitment to the use of advanced technologies to carry out fundamental missions to save lives ”.
William Hunt, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters in Philadelphia, added: “We are delighted to once again support the health care missions of Life Link III, an operator with whom we can boast a long relationship. The AW109 Trekker and AW169 will make an important contribution to the EMS operator's fleet and both helicopters with their high-tech capabilities will enable Life Link III to carry out its operations safely and quickly. "
This latest sale contributes to increasing the presence of Leonardo's helicopters in the EMS market in North America, whose fleet includes more than 110 AW119, AW109, AW169 and AW139 models. Leonardo is committed to supporting and protecting people and communities around the world, contributing to their sustainable growth, thanks to leadership in next generation technologies. Collaboration with governments, private individuals and in the industrial sector, aimed at offering the best security capabilities, is one of the foundations of the "Be Tomorrow - Leonardo 2030" Strategic Plan
Nearly 240 orders for AW169 have been placed to date in various countries including Italy, the UK, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the US. To date, more than 70 AW109 Trekkers have been sold to customers around the world for a significant range of operational roles and more than 1.500 units of the AW109 model series have been sold globally for a wide range of missions.
