- 23 Mar 2023
- Chris Kjelgaard
- Engines - BizAv
Agusta Westland's A109S Grand was introduced as a larger version of the A109 Power 8-seat executive helicopter. It has a longer main cabin with club seating for up to six and larger rear cabin side windows. It also has greater useful load with higher powered 735shp Pratt & Whitney PW207C engines and has new rotor blades to reduce its noise profile.
The Agusta A109S Grand costs between $1.80m for a 2005 model and $4m for a 2011 model, according to Aircraft Bluebook’s Autumn 2022 data. These prices represent the average retail prices for aircraft of those model years. Buyers can expect prices for individual models to differ somewhat from the average retail price in many cases, owing to a combination of aircraft-specific factors. These include the aircraft’s maintenance condition, how long is left on the airframe and engines before the next major inspection or overhaul is due, and the status of the many life-limited components that are installed on the helicopter. This makes price negotiation very specific to individual Agusta A109S Grand models.
There are a wide range of aircraft on the light twin-engine turbine helicopter market that the Agusta A109S Grand occupies. Operators may choose to consider the more recent variants of the AW109 family among the options alongside the A109S Grand – most notably the AW109 GrandNew and the AW109 Trekker.
The A109S Grand’s increased power and capacity, combined with the longstanding benefits and comfort of the well-established A109 product range, offers an attractive package for operators who require a mixture of sophistication, range, capacity and speed.
In comparing the Agusta A109S Grand and AW109 GrandNew, Leonardo highlights the all-new modern digital avionics with advanced satellite navigation and synthetic vision/enhanced vision system capabilities of the GrandNew model, combined with its composite airframe. At the same time, the newer aircraft retains the A109S Grand’s “best in class performance, powerplant and large cabin space”, according to Leonardo.
Agusta A109S Grand Helicopter Overview
By Gerrard Cowan - Editor, Aircraft Reviews
The Agusta A109S Grand is a light twin-engine turbine helicopter, and was introduced in 2005, serving as a larger version of the long-standing, popular A109 product line. The new model featured a longer main cabin, providing club seating for up to six passengers, while also offering a greater useful load.
The A109S Grand from Agusta is often also referred to as the AW109 Grand. Over the years of its production, Agusta produced 181 units for customers around the world, according to JETNET data.
What features does the Agusta A109S Grand offer?
The A109S Grand is powered by two 735shp Pratt & Whitney PW207C engines, while new rotor blades reduce its noise profile when compared with the A109E Power. The aircraft offers operators a range of about 460nm.
What came before and after the Agusta A109S Grand?
The Agusta A109S Grand succeeded the A109E Power, which was introduced to the market in the mid-1990s as a more powerful variant of the A109C model.
The A109E Power came equipped with either Turbomeca Arrius 2K1 or Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines, and a larger version of the aircraft – the A109E Power Elite – was subsequently launched on the market.
Today, the A109 family is represented by the AW109 GrandNew, which is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207C engines and has a maximum range of more than 400nm (more details below).
Meanwhile, the AW109 Trekker offers fixed landing skids and the ability to operate in challenging environments.
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