Leonardo AW189 to support oil and gas operations in Russia from Sakhalin Island

• The addition of this AW189 operated by Aviashelf expands the success of the type as the bestselling helicopter in its weight category and in the Oil&Gas market both in Russia and internationally
• The aircraft will be equipped with Full Ice Protection System for outstanding all weather operations
• Agreements for more than 150 AW189s, including orders and options, have been signed by customers worldwide to date 

Leonardo announced today that an AW189 super medium helicopter will be operated by Aviashelf to perform transport operations from Sakhalin Island in Russia supporting the Oil&Gas industry. The aircraft will be supplied together with a support and training package with delivery expected in summer 2018.

This latest result confirms the competitiveness of Leonardo’s modern solutions in the Oil&Gas market and further strengthens the success of the AW189 in Russia and globally thanks to its performance, new design, latest safety standards and cost effectiveness. The AW189 will be equipped with a Full Ice Protection System (FIPS) allowing operations in known icing conditions when other helicopters would be grounded.

With agreements for more than 150 helicopters including orders and options with customers worldwide, the 8.3/8.6 tonne AgustaWestland AW189 is the most successful commercial helicopter in the ‘super medium’ category. Developed to meet the growing market demand for a modern multirole helicopter with large capacity and long range capability, the AW189 meets the latest and most stringent certification and safety standards. The spacious cabin is configured with 16 seats as standard with the option of a high density 19-seat layout. The cockpit design, incorporating the latest in advanced situational awareness technologies, reduces crew workload and enhances safety. The AW189 is also fully compliant with the latest requirements of the Oil&Gas producers’ helicopter operations guidelines. The AW189 is unique in having a 50 minute ‘run-dry’ capable main gear box, exceeding current certification standards and offering unmatched safety and reliability for long range operations. Over 30 aircraft are already in service in Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Americas for transport and public service duties including search and rescue and have logged in excess of 25,000 flight hours.

The AW189 is part of the family of new generation helicopters that includes the AW169 and AW139 models, which possess the same high performance flight characteristics and safety features as well as sharing a common cockpit layout, design philosophy and maintenance concept. This commonality allows more effective operations for customers using helicopter fleets across the 4 to 9 tonne weight range.