Leonardo Secures AW139 Order As Falcon Aviation Services Grows its VVIP Helicopter Operations in UAE

At the Paris Air Show Leonardo and Falcon Aviation Services marked another milestone in their longstanding partnership with the announcement of a new order for an AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopter. The aircraft, ordered by Falcon Aviation’s owner His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will feature a VVIP 8-seater configuration, hinged doors and a range of latest generation on board comfort and entertainment equipment.

Falcon Aviation, one of the UAE’s leading aviation service providers, will operate the helicopter for VVIP Charter. The aircraft is expected to enter service in 2027, further enhancing the company's high-end offering in the region.

This latest acquisition reflects Falcon Aviation’s continued commitment to delivering world-class, safe, and technologically advanced air transport solutions in the UAE and beyond. At the same time, it reaffirms Leonardo’s leadership in the regional and world VIP/corporate helicopter market, with a global share today exceeding 40% in the twin engine segment by value. The Leonardo’s VIP/corporate value proposition is represented by the Agusta brand, epitomizing a widely acclaimed combination of high performance, advanced technology, high customization levels, latest certification standards delivering an overall unique flight experience.

With nearly 1500 units ordered by more than 300 customers in around 90 nations, and over 4.5 million flight hours logged to date since its certification in 2004, the AW139 has proven extremely successful for the widest scope of missions. The AW139 delivers outstanding capabilities, technology, and safety to meet stringent requirements from operators for tasks in harsh conditions to maximize effectiveness. This type features state-of-the-art avionics with advanced navigation and collision avoidance systems to enhance situational awareness and reduce pilots’ workload, unmatched speed, power margins, and overall performance; the widest cabin in its category featuring high modularity for rapid reconfiguration; a unique 60+ min run-dry capable main gear box for enhanced reliability and safety; and up to 1000 certified kits. In UAE the AW139 is highly successful for both passenger and offshore transport, public services and rescue duties.

Falcon Aviation has a long-term partnership with Leonardo as a helicopter operator and has played a key role in deploying Leonardo’s cutting-edge rotorcraft technology across the UAE. The company has placed orders for several AW109 GrandNew light twins, AW169 intermediate twins and AW189 super medium twin-engine helicopters for energy support operations both in the UAE and internationally as well as for passenger transport duties. in 2024, Falcon Aviation placed an order for its first AW139 to support offshore transport, making this operator another prime user of the entire AW Family of latest generation helicopters of Leonardo, a unique concept design based on commonalities across the AW169-AW139-AW189 models in terms of certification and safety standards, components, cockpit layout and appearance, training and technical support approach. The Family concept has now been delivering for years unequalled benefits to major global operators in terms of training, fleet management, versatility, efficiency and sustainability. Last year’s step allowed Falcon Aviation to prepare to deliver complementary services in terms of capacity and range, in a weight/size category perfectly fitting between the AW169 and AW189, becoming even more competitive to meet emerging market requirements in UAE and across other geographies.