Avincis, Europe’s largest provider of emergency air services, has become the first operator in the world to surpass 5,000 flight hours on the Leonardo AW169.
The aircraft that achieved this impressive milestone supports HEMS operations in the Swedish region of Västra Götaland, where it has carried out 9,000 missions since its service commencement in June 2018. In the first 24 hours of service, the helicopter was used for three missions, clearly marking it as a much sought-after asset. Since its manufacture in 2018, the seven-year-old aircraft has been exclusively utilized by Avincis in this region.
The aircraft is one of 12 AW169 in the Avincis fleet, which totals about 210 helicopters and planes.
With the introduction of the AW169 in Sweden in 2018, Avincis was among the first operators in the world to utilize this model for HEMS missions. The first helicopter was activated in Östersund in January 2018, followed by the bases in Gällivare and Lycksele. The Uppsala region switched to the AW169 in the fall of 2019. Today, three of these bases still operate this model.
All AW169s used by Avincis in Sweden are equipped with custom features to support rescue missions: from the personalized HEMS cabin to the additional external lighting systems installed to enhance operational safety and efficiency.
**John Boag**, **Group CEO of Avincis**, stated:
_’We are proud to be the first in the world to exceed 5,000 flight hours and 9,000 missions with the Leonardo AW169. This helicopter has proved exceedingly reliable and robust, much like its ‘big brother’ AW139, and is an excellent choice for our HEMS clients in Sweden and Italy. We have been able to achieve this milestone thanks to our close cooperation with Leonardo, which provides us with excellent customer service for our entire AW fleet. I look forward to seeing the AW169 fly many more hours and save many more lives in the future.’_
**Stefano Villanti**, **SVP Marketing, Sales and Contracts at Leonardo Helicopters**, commented: _’Congratulations to Avincis for this significant operational achievement. It demonstrates the operator’s professionalism and established ability, as well as the reliability and effectiveness of the AW169 in providing high performance in challenging operational, weather, and environmental conditions, for critical rescue missions. We are excited to continue this journey together with Avincis, ensuring that their Leonardo helicopter fleet continues to represent strategic technology for the success of their operations.’_
Source and photo credit @Avincis/UTOPIA – Public Policy, Advocacy & Communication
