Saudi Arabian rotary operator The Helicopter Company (THC) is further expanding its fleet of Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters to reinforce SAR, EMS and corporate transport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The company has announced its willingness to engage in negotiations to procure an additional six units to its existing fleet plus 20 options. By the time all these latest AW139s are delivered, THC will have a total fleet of 49 AW139s carrying out a range of missions including emergency medical service, search and rescue and corporate transport in the country.

Leonardo MD Gian Piero Cutillo says: “We're pleased with the level of confidence shown by a leading operator like THC in our technology and mission capabilities by this latest announcement of its fleet expansion plan. The AW139 is supporting its service capability growth programme for key missions, including SAR, EMS and corporate transport and we're proud to play our role for the communities it will serve.”

The AW139 has logged orders for nearly 1,300 units from more than 290 customers in over 80 countries to date. The fleet of more than 1,130 units in service has logged in excess of 3.6 million flight hours to date. The type has proven extremely successful in the Middle East with over 170 units sold across the region for the widest scope of missions including corporate transport, emergency medical service, search and rescue, law enforcement, offshore transport and government duties.

The AW139 delivers outstanding capabilities, technology and safety to meet stringent requirements from operators for tasks in harsh conditions to maximise effectiveness. The type features the latest avionics with advanced navigation and collision avoidance systems to enhance situational awareness and reduce pilots' workload, plenty of speed, power margins and overall performance, the widest cabin in its category featuring high modularity for rapid reconfiguration, a unique more than 60 minute run-dry capable main gear box for enhanced reliability and safety and up to 1,000 certified kits.

Pratt & Whitney Canada, a business unit of Pratt & Whitney, has announced that THC has signed a Fleet Management Program (FMP) for the 42 PT6C engines that power its fleet of 21 AW139 helicopters from Leonardo.

“We are extremely pleased to build on the outstanding collaboration with THC and to support the development of the helicopter industry in Saudi Arabia,” says P&WC VP of customer service Irene Makris. “The FMP programme, which is designed around THC's operational environment and tailored to its mission-specific maintenance needs, will help it to maximise the value of its engine assets and enhance time-on-wing performance.”