According to a press release, the Italian helicopter manufacturer Leonardo will use its Mollis site for test flights of the AW09 class of helicopter. This will keep the helicopter’s development at its original home. The single-motor helicopter was created by Kopter, a company based in Glarus that was acquired by Leonardo in 2020.
The upcoming test flights focus on a new motor from the French company Safran Helicopter Engines. According to the information provided, it is characterized by high performance capacity, reliability, and ease of operation.
The motor from Safran Helicopter Engines has already been built into the fourth AW09 prototype. After the test flights, development of a final, fifth prototype is planned by the end of 2023. After this, the aircraft is to be certified in the EU.
According to Leonardo, Kopter’s team is still responsible for development of the AW09 but works on this in collaboration with a team from the Italian company. Over the long term, Kopter is to become a competence center within Leonardo to drive forward new technologies for light helicopters and vertical flight. With this, Leonardo plans to become a leader in modern civil air mobility. ssp
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