AgustaWestland delivers two AW139 helicopters to Heliconia Aero Solutions

Heliconia Aero Solutions has announced the delivery of its two AgustaWestland AW139 intermediate class twin-engine helicopters, which will be deployed for offshore transport missions in Morocco.

The first AW139 has already started operations, while the second will enter service this week.

According to AgustaWestland, the AW139 is the best-selling helicopter in its category with a 56% share in the global market. It has become the benchmark platform for offshore transport operations.

The AW139 has logged 790 orders to date from approximately 210 customers in more than 60 countries, with the 700 AW139s already in service worldwide. The fleet recently surpassed the one million flight hours milestone.

The AW139 is part of the AgustaWestland’s new generation of helicopters, which also includes the AW169 and AW189 variants.

All variants feature similar flight characteristics, safety features, cockpit layouts, design and maintenance concepts, allowing for effective operations for customers.

Heliconia Aero Solutions and AgustaWestland signed a distributorship agreement in April 2014 for the AW139s. The deal also included options for two helicopters.

Heliconia president Daniel Sigaud then said: "This is a major milestone development for Heliconia, but also for Morocco, as it will bring into the Moroccan market a new generation of aircrafts which have proved over the last five years to have a major impact on oil and gas offshore activities worldwide, at a time when very substantial investments are being earmarked to explore Moroccan territorial waters.

"It will also permit Heliconia to extend its activities in Africa in the future."

Heliconia Group has helicopter operations in Morocco and France, and offers various services including aerial work and offshore transport.

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Image: The new AW139s will be deployed for offshore transport missions in Morocco. Photo: courtesy of AgustaWestland – A Finmeccanica Company.