Leonardo pitches Trekker training helicopter to Poland
The AW109 Trekker is being pitched to Poland to satisfy that country's new helicopter pilot training requirement. (Janes/Sam Wise)
Leonardo is offering its AW109 Trekker to fulfil Poland's helicopter training requirement, a company representative told Janes on 16 May.
The twin-engined helicopter would be locally built by PZL-Świdnik and offered as “a one-stop-shop solution based on a comprehensive training system/syllabus including devices and simulation”, the representative said.
The Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) is looking to acquire 24 new helicopters and their associated simulators and training services to replace a similar number of PZL SW-4 Puszczyk helicopters.
As noted in All the World's Aircraft: Development & Production, the AW109 Trekker is a skid-equipped derivative of the AW109SP GrandNew helicopter, which is essentially an enlarged cabin version of the original AW109. With a maximum take-off weight of 3,175 kg (internal load), the Trekker version has a cruise speed of 160 kt and a range of 824 km.
The MND has not disclosed when a contract will be awarded. The selected helicopter type will be operated out of the Polish Air Force University in Dęblin.
For more information on Poland's helicopter recapitalisation, please see Poland flies first domestically built AW149 helicopter .
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