| AgustaWestland AW609 | ||
|---|---|---|
 An AW609 in flight at the 2007 Paris Air Show. | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | Civilian/corporate transport | |
| Crew | 1-2 | |
| Passengers | 6-9 | |
| First flight | March 6th, 2003 | |
| Entered service | Under development | |
| Manufacturer | AgustaWestland | |
| Produced | ||
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 44 feet | 13.3 meters |
| Wingspan | 38 feet 5 inches | 11.7 meters |
| Height | 16 feet 3 inches | 5.1 meters |
| Wing area | ||
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 10,483 pounds | 4,765 kg |
| Loaded | ||
| Maximum takeoff | 16,800 lbs | 7,600 kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A | |
| Power (each) | 1,940 shp | |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 315 mph | 510 km/h |
| Cruising speed | 299 mph | 465 km/h |
| Range | 852 miles | 1,390 km |
| Ceiling | 25,000 ft | 7,260 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,500 ft/min | 7.62 m/sec |
The AgustaWestland AW609 is a tiltrotor aircraft currently under development by AgustaWestland with the help of Bell Helicopter for civilian and corporate usage.
History[]
Work on the AW609 began in 2002. At that point, the project was a joint venture between Bell and Agusta, under the name Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company. The aircraft, then named BA609, first flew on March 6th, 2003. The first in-flight conversion from helicopter to airplane mode occured on July 22nd, 2005. In 2011, AgustaWestland took full ownership of the project, while Bell remains in the role of design and certification. The AW609 is expected to recieve FAA and EASA certification in 2016, and be available for purchase in the early 2020s. Three prototypes have been built so far.