Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced today important results in the continuation of the development of the AgustaWestland AW609 tilt-rotor, with the American prototype landing at the Philadelphia plant, after the recent resumption of flight activities. The aircraft, originally based in Arlington, Texas, arrived in Philadelphia on August 10 after a transfer stop in Huntsville, Alabama.
The involvement of the Philadelphia production plant, according to the industrialization program, allows Leonardo to make use of additional production capacities, assigning this site to become the first assembly line of the tiltrotor and the point of reference for its American certification at the competent US authorities (FAA, Federal Aviation Administration). The Italian, UK and Polish plants will continue to play a key role in the AW609 program. The American prototype will soon be transferred to Italy, while the flight tests will continue as soon as another prototype, more recently assembled and tested on the ground in the Italian site of Cascina Costa in Samarate (VA), will arrive in the USA. An additional AW609 is being assembled in Philadelphia and will enter the testing phase in the 2017.
The certification, which will be followed by the start of deliveries of the first commercial convertiplane in the world, is scheduled for the 2018.
