The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it renamed the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project. The AW149 is a medium-lift military helicopter being developed as an enlarged version of the AW139.

2007 AgustaWestland AW139 N149DH (sn 41004) Aklak Canadian Helicopters leased by Era Helicopters LLC equipped with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C Engines. Photo taken Aug. 2009 Inuvik (Mike Zubko) Airport, NWT Canada (YEV / CYEV) Photo © Marcel Siegenthaler

Design and development

The AW139 is a conventional twin-engined transport helicopter with a 5-blade fully articulated main rotor and a 4-blade tail rotor and a retractable landing gear.

The AW139 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C turboshaft engines. The helicopter is being marketed for use in a number of roles including Law Enforcement/Emergency Medical Service, Executive Transport, Search and Rescue, Maritime and Offshore Oil Operations.

The first AW139 flew on 3 February 2001 at Vergiate in Italy, and the first production aircraft on 24 June 2002. The first customer aircraft was delivered in 2003.

The company has orders for over 430 helicopters of which over 200 had been delivered by January 2009. It was a contender in the U.S. Army Light Utility Helicopter Program (2004-2006), but lost to the Eurocopter EC145-based UH-72A Lakota.

In 2007 a second production line at the AgustaWestland Aerospace plant at Philadelphia, United States was established.

At the Farnborough Air Show in 2006, AgustaWestland announced the AW149 as a multi-role battlefield helicopter variant of the AW139.

The Irish Air Corps began taking delivery of its first AW139s in 2007. The type will provide army co-operation capability to the Air Corps. They replace theAerospatiale Alouette III in service.

In late 2006 it was announced that the Japan Coast Guard had selected the AW139 as the replacement for its fleet of Bell 212 helicopters. Twenty-four AW139s are expected to be delivered, beginning in 2008.

Variants

AB139
Original Italian-built production aircraft, 54 built.

AW139
Designation change from 55th aircraft onwards.

AW139 (long nose configuration)
Long nose variant with increased room for avionics built in both Italy and the United States.

Operators

Military and government operators

Australia
- Queensland Government (Emergency Management Queensland rescue helicopter)
- Ambulance Service of New South Wales (Wollongong and Bankstown)

Bulgaria
- Border Police

China
- Beijing Municipal Public Safety Bureau

Cyprus
- 3 on order for SAR and utility-EMS duties + 2 on order for Law Enforcement

Estonia
- Estonian Border Guard

India
- Andhra Pradesh - for use by Chief Minister.

Ireland
- Irish Air Corps- Operate Six AW139

Italy
- Corps of the Port Captaincies - Coast Guard (up to 2 on Order, delivery 2009)
- Guardia di Finanza

Japan
- Japan Coast Guard
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department

South Korea
- Korea Coast Guard (delivery 2009)

Lebanon
- Lebanese Army - The Lebanese Air Force operates one executive AW139 given as a gift by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa to be used by the Lebanese president General Michel Suleiman.

Malaysia
- Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (up to 3 on Order, delivery 2010)

Namibia
- Government Air Transport Unit

Netherlands
- Dutch Police (up to 2 on Order, delivery 2009)

Oman
- Police Air Wing

Pakistan
- 6th Aviation Squadron for emergency relief operations (up to 5 on Order, delivery 2008)

Qatar
- Qatar Emiri Air Force (18 on Order)

Spain
- Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima, used for roles including SAR and water pollution detection. (8 orders, 4 delivered)

Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad & Tobago Air Guard (TTAG) — Search & Rescue (SAR), Surface Surveillance, Law Enforcement, Drug Interdiction and Disaster Relief Operations. (4 on Order, expected delivery from 2010)

United Arab Emirates
- UAE Air Force

United States
- United States Customs and Border Protection
- Los Angeles City Fire Department

Civilian operators

Canada
- CHC Helicopter
- Ornge (Ontario Air Ambulance), Ontario, Canada (10 on order for 2010-12 delivery)
- Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS), Alberta, Canada (2 on order for late 2009/2010 delivery)
- London Air Services

China
- Sky Shuttle Helicopters - 6 provide scheduled passenger service between Hong Kong, Macau and China.

Denmark
- Bel Air A/S operate one AW139 (OY-HJL) for offshore work.

Estonia
- Copterline, starting from 2008. The regular flights shall take place between Tallinn (Estonia) and Helsinki (Finland).

Finland
- Copterline, replacing Sikorsky S-76s.

Netherlands
- CHC Netherlands

New Zealand
- Helicopters New Zealand (Helicopters NZ), 5 plus options for 2 more. For offshore transport use supporting companies including Shell.

Norway
- Lufttransport

Portugal
- HeliPortugal - Passenger service and offshore transport use.

South Africa
- Fire Blade investments, Anglo Platinuim

Spain
- Helicsa

Switzerland
- Swiss Jet / Air Engiadina AG

United Kingdom
- CHC Scotia, on behalf of HM Coastguard
- FB Heliservices, 2 operating from RAF Valley to provide search and rescue training for AgustaWestland export customers.

United States
- Era Helicopters
- Evergreen Helicopters

Specifications (AW139 long nose)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: 15 passengers
Length: 13.77 m (45 ft 2 in)
Main rotor diameter: × 13.8 m (45 ft 3 in)
Width: 3.04 m (10 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.72 m (12 ft 2 in)
Empty weight: 3622 kg (7985 lb)
Gross weight: 6400 kg (14110 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C free turbine turboshaft engine, 1142 kW (1531 hp) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph)
Range: 1061 km (573 miles)
Service ceiling: 6098 m (20,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 10.9 m/s (2140 ft/min)