AgustaWestland confirms it is looking at stretched development of the A109 Power and K2 versions of its light twin-turbine helicopter, but says any decision on the programme will depend on demand.
"We've had some major operators interested in evaluating the stretch capability of the A109. We would consider a potential customisation should any important customer be interested. At this stage I would say it may happen, but we'll have a clearer idea by the time of the Paris air show," says Guiseppe Orsi, AgustaWestland managing director.
The stretch is primarily aimed at the newer Pratt & Whitney PW207-powered A109 Power S member of the helicopter family, but the "same approach" could be available for the Turbomeca Arrius 1K1-powered A109K2 variant. The main modification would involve a 200-250mm (8-10in) stretch of the eight-seat helicopter's cabin and increased maximum take-off weight.
Source: Flight International
