Tiltrotor technology answers the need for an aircraft with the speed, range, and altitude of a fixed-wing airplane and the vertical take-off and landing versatility of a helicopter. This revolutionary combination has been studied and tested for years prior to a successful introduction in military use with the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey.  

Launched in 1998 as a joint Bell / Agusta program under BA609 designation. The AW609 is the first twin-engine tiltrotor aircraft designed for certification in the civilian market. Combining helicopter versatility with the speed and comfort of a pressurized cabin flying above bad weather.

The AW609 completed its first flight on March 6, 2003,  kicking-of an ongoing long certification process.  Since 2011, the Italian aerospace conglomerate Leonardo assume full ownership of the program.

The long-awaited aircraft proved very popular in the VIP market, with New York Times reporting U.S businessman Michael Bloomberg is “near the top” of the list of buyers who have put a deposit down. Leonardo is also teaming-up with Bristow to bring the tiltrotor to the offshore Oil & Gas market allowing for direct personnel transfer from major cities to oil rings. 

The AW609 is powered by a pair of FADEC equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A turboshaft engines, each driving a three-bladed proprotor.

The AW609 flight deck features Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 with three LCD displays layout and head-up display system. Avionics include a triple-redundant digital fly-by-wire flight control system.