Leonardo AW109 for Sale

The Leonardo AW109 — historically AgustaWestland, originally just Agusta — is the longest-running light-twin programme in continuous production, with first flight in 1971 and current variants still rolling off the Vergiate line in Italy. Across more than five decades and roughly 800 airframes the basic architecture has remained constant: a retractable-gear, four-blade main-rotor light twin sized for eight occupants, with an unusually fast cruise speed and a distinctively narrow ramp footprint.

Pre-owned AW109 inventory falls into four meaningful generations: the legacy A/A-II (1976-1995, analogue avionics, Allison 250-C20 engines), the Power (1996-2009, PW206C engines, glass cockpit option), the Grand and Grand New (2005-present, longer fuselage, true eight-seat cabin, Honeywell Primus avionics), and the recent Trekker (2014-present, skid landing gear, utility-oriented configuration). Each generation occupies a different price point and serves different missions.

The AW109 has historically commanded premium pricing in the VIP and head-of-state market — its narrow profile, retractable gear and 154-knot cruise speed are genuinely differentiated. It is also widely deployed in HEMS, law enforcement (particularly in Italy, the UK and the US), and offshore-transport markets where weight, speed and a compact deck footprint matter. The Trekker variant has materially expanded the type's reach into utility work where retractable gear was previously a barrier.

Buyer guide

Power vs Grand vs Grand New vs Trekker

The AW109 Power is a five-seat-class airframe with Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines and the original short cabin. The Grand New extends the cabin by 16 inches, raises MTOW and runs the PW207C — the most popular pre-owned variant today. The Grand New adds the Primus Epic avionics suite and is the airframe most VIP buyers should target. The Trekker swaps retractable wheels for skids and re-orients the platform toward utility and HEMS missions. Match the variant to mission carefully — they are not interchangeable.

Twin-engine economics realistically

Operating cost for an AW109 sits meaningfully above single-turbine competitors. Realistic direct operating cost for a Grand New in private VIP service is $2,000-$2,500 per hour; commercial fleets running 600+ hours/year see direct cost closer to

Retractable gear and the maintenance footprint

The retractable landing gear is the AW109's signature feature and a meaningful maintenance item. Plan on a retract-system inspection every 600 hours and full landing-gear overhaul at 6,000 hours; budget $80-

Equipment and interior options that affect resale

VIP interiors with leather Club-6, soft-mount avionics, full acoustic package and air conditioning command meaningful resale premium and are difficult to add post-purchase. HEMS configurations carry significant role equipment value (stretcher mount, medical interior, hoist provisions) but limit the resale buyer pool to other HEMS operators. Corporate buyers should target factory-VIP airframes from the Grand or Grand New production line; HEMS operators should look for purpose-built configurations rather than ex-corporate conversions.

Pre-buy inspection focus areas

AW109 pre-buy inspections should focus on the elastomeric main-rotor head bearings (six-figure replacement event), the tail-rotor drive gearbox, the landing-gear retract actuators and the engine module status on both PW206/207 powerplants. Verify Leonardo CAMO records, current ARC, and modification status — particularly any post-delivery interior or avionics STCs. A pre-buy at an approved Leonardo Service Centre is $25-$40K and routinely identifies issues that exceed that investment by an order of magnitude.

Frequently asked questions

Is the AW109 certified for single-pilot IFR?

Yes — full single-pilot IFR certification under both EASA and FAA across the modern Power, Grand and Grand New variants. The Trekker is also IFR-capable. The combination of speed, IFR capability and twin-engine redundancy is the principal reason the type retains a strong VIP and HEMS market share against newer competitors.

What is the realistic cabin capacity?

Eight occupants nominal (pilot + 7 passengers) on the Grand and Grand New, six on the older Power. Real-world VIP configurations seat 6 passengers in Club-6 leather; HEMS configurations carry 2 medical crew plus the patient and 1 escort. Useful payload after full IFR fuel is approximately 750-850 kg depending on configuration.

How does the AW109 compare to the H145?

The AW109 is faster (154 vs 135 kt), more compact (significant where deck footprint matters) and retains the prestige association of the legacy Agusta brand in the VIP market. The H145 carries more cabin volume, more useful load, has a denser global support network and Fenestron-tail safety advantages for confined-area HEMS work. Mission profile typically chooses cleanly between them.

Are parts and MRO support globally available?

Leonardo operates approved service centres in Italy, the US, the UK, Brazil and several other markets. Parts availability is good in Europe and improving in the Americas. AOG response is generally well-handled but plan logistics carefully for operators based outside major support centres.

What is the export market like for pre-owned AW109s?

Active — pre-owned AW109s trade routinely across borders between Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. EASA, FAA and CAA approvals are well-understood; export documentation and import certification are routine. ChopperSwap exchanges all transaction documentation through the secure vault so cross-border buyers and sellers retain a complete paper trail.