Leonardo Helicopters arrives at EBACE amid continued strong demand for its range of twin- engined VIP rotorcraft, with an Agusta AW109 Trekker on its stand also holding the distinction of being the only aircraft at the show.
Describing the Trekker – a skid-equipped version of the long-running AW109 GrandNew – as the “star of the show”, Manuela Barbarossa, VIP marketing specialist, says the 3.1t light-twin is gaining increasing traction in the corporate segment, despite its origins as what the company calls a “rugged and reliable” workhorse.
“It is becoming more popular for VIP transport,” she says. “As the name suggests, the Trekker was conceived as a utility helicopter, but we have found out there’s a need from the VIP market for an aircraft that can land in unprepared areas.
“In this case, skids are more useful than retractable landing gear.”
Operated by Germany’s Ferraro Group, the stylishly liveried Trekker (OE-XDG) has a reconfigurable cabin allowing the firm to swap between five or six seats depending on whether it is used for private flights or as a corporate shuttle.
Launched in 2014, the Trekker builds on the success of the AW109 with the addition of skid gear and a new Genesys Aerosystems flightdeck.
Leonardo Helicopters is also considering a similar cockpit enhancement for the AW109 GrandNew as it looks to maintain the type’s appeal in the competitive light-twin space.
“We are trying to see whether we can make an upgrade from the avionics point of view. It is still part of the strategic decision we are going to make but it’s something that’s under evaluation,” divisional managing director Gian Piero Cutillo told FlightGlobal at the Verticon show earlier this year.
Nonetheless, says Barbarossa, “the AW109 continues to do its job – we are still getting a lot of interest.”
Elsewhere in the airframer’s range, the AW139 intermediate-twin continues to sell strongly as both a corporate shuttle and VIP aircraft, she says.
Its smaller AW169 sibling is also “in certain regions becoming the benchmark” for VIP transport missions, Barbarossa adds. Key countries for the medium-twin include Brazil – where rooftop helipad weight limits are in its favour – alongside Mexico and India.
Meanwhile, the AW09, the newest addition to the manufacturer’s VIP line-up, has gained momentum since the variant’s launch at EBACE last year.
Although still wending its way through an overrunning certification campaign – service entry is forecast in late 2025 or early 2026 – the 2.8t light-single is gaining interest from private and VIP customers.
The AW09 VIP mock-up unveiled at EBACE last year is currently being showcased in the USA and will subsequently be displayed at an event in Brazil next month.
Leonardo Helicopters is also adding two new themes to its currently three-strong range of ‘interior moods’.
These are a palette of colours and materials designed to capture the “touch and feel” of cities around the world and provide buyers with inspiration for their helicopter’s interior.
The three launch cities – Firenze, London and New York – are now joined by Tokyo and Fortaleza, a coastal city in northern Brazil.
“We take all the elements of these cities and translate them and convert them into material selection about the different kinds of moods and patterns we can recreate.”
Classically styled Firenze – the Italian name for Florence – is the most popular of the moods, all of which are available across the airframer’s entire range of VIP helicopters.
Tokyo takes inspiration from the Japanese capital at night, blending “futuristic design and timeless tradition, reflecting the city’s unique mix of modern technology and deep cultural roots”.
Fortaleza, meanwhile, “captures the vibrant spirit, coastal luxury, and natural warmth of Brazil’s northeast”.
Barbarossa promises more moods in the future, although isn’t ready to reveal which cities are on the list. “We will get more – we have a very active group of designers,” she says.
