Fresh from celebrating the successful first step in the certification process for the Bell/Agusta AB139, the US-Italian alliance will now turn its attention to winning FAA certification for the aircraft, which it hopes to achieve by early 2004.
Bell/Agusta Aircraft (BAAC) chairman Amedeo Caporaletti and Bell Helicopter chief executive Mike Redenbaugh celebrated the Italian ENAC IFR type certification, which means the first delivery to an unnamed Italian customer will take place this autumn.
Executive marketing director Tim Brookman says the aircraft now has 25 customers, which have ordered upwards of 80 units equating to a two-year production backlog.
The AB139 is a proposed solution for the US Coast Guard's Deepwater requirement, under the umbrella of the integrated coast guard systems (ICGS) alliance, led by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
Brookman says one of the aircraft's prime missions is offshore work, with either a 12-seat or high-density 15-seat configuration, while other customers plan to use the AB139 for EMS, VIP and utility missions.
Source: Flight Daily News
