PZL-Świdnik announced that the global fleet of AgustaWestland’s best-selling AW139 helicopter, co-designed by Świdnik-based engineering teams, has now flown more than 1 million flight hours, achieving this impressive milestone in just ten years of operations. This milestone has been achieved with aircraft flying in the some of the most demanding environmental conditions around the world whilst performing a wide range of missions with commercial, government and military operators./

The history of the AW139 programme is of vital significance to PZL-Świdnik. The AW139 fuselage design and production contract with AgustaWestland was signed in 1998. It has been a great opportunity for PZL-Świdnik’s engineering teams to participate in the design of this state-of-the-art aircraft. It also led to the introduction of significant advances in the field of computer-aided design, as well as development and testing  technologies, new composite manufacturing capabilities, world class production management techniques and the expansion of the Company’s machining centre with a range of new modern machines.

Today, PZL-Świdnik is the established centre of excellence in aerostructures for AgustaWestland worldwide and has produced over 540 AW139 fuselages so far. Over 50 fuselages for this type are produced annually  in Świdnik. The annual record for AW139 fuselage production is 87.

Over 770 AW139s have been ordered by more than 200 customers in over 60 nations worldwide and today with more than 650 aircraft in service, making the AW139 the bestselling helicopter in its weight  category and the benchmark type with a 56% market share in the last five years. The AW139 fleet leading aircraft has now flown more than 9,300 hours.

Source: PZL Swidnik