Company Notes Strong Demand In Mexican Market
AgustaWestland announced this week Aerolíneas
Ejecutivas (ALE) of Mexico has signed a contract for fifteen
additional helicopters comprising four AW119 Ke single engine, four
AW109 Power and five Grand light twin and two AW139 medium twin
turbine engine models.
The contract value is worth approximately $83 million. This
latest order is part of the framework of the five-year contract and
distribution agreement signed in August 2006. This order and the
one signed in March 2007 brings the total number of firm orders to
38.
ALE is a Mexican company with nearly 40 years of helicopter
sales, rental, management and maintenance experience. In February
2006, ALE was appointed as the AgustaWestland Authorized Service
Center in Mexico. Located at Toluca International Airport outside
of Mexico City, ALE provides maintenance and repair services as
well as maintaining a spare parts inventory for the range of
AgustaWestland commercial helicopters comprising the AW119 Ke,
AW109 Power, Grand and AW139.
"This latest contract will increases our market presence in
Mexico and confirms the strong demand for our modern range of
commercial helicopters in Mexico," said Renzo Lunardi, Senior Vice
President Commercial Business Unit, AgustaWestland. "AgustaWestland
commercial helicopters such as the Grand and the AW119 Ke are
achieving greater and greater success in government and public
service markets, including law enforcement and emergency medical
services, both in Mexico and other markets worldwide."
The AW119 Ke is
AgustaWestland’s answer to worldwide current customer demand
for a high performance, modern, multi-role single-engine
helicopter. The eight-place AW119 Ke can perform a wide range of
commercial and public service roles, delivering exceptional
performance under hot and high operating conditions. The AW109
Power is a highly versatile twin engine helicopter that is used for
commercial and public service missions and has exceptional levels
of performance with low operating costs.
A new intermediate size helicopter with light twin economics
developed to meet a variety of market requirements, the Grand
provides levels of cabin space and payload that until now could
only be met by larger, more expensive helicopters – in less
than four years since its launch nearly 200 aircraft have been
ordered.
The AW139 features the most spacious cabin and the best power
reserve compared to any other helicopter in its class and has
rapidly become the best selling aircraft in its category worldwide.
Over 330 aircraft have been ordered and over 100 aircraft are now
in service worldwide.
The helicopters ordered by ALE will be assembled at
AgustaWestland’s production facilities in Philadelphia, PA
and Vergiate, Italy.