In 2007, the subsidiary Marenco emerged from the parent company Marenco Swisshelicopter (renamed Kopter on February 1, 2018). The objective was to develop a novel light multipurpose helicopter in the 2.5-tonne class. The company first presented a 1:1 model of the helicopter at Heli-Expo in 2011. The maiden flight was initially scheduled for spring 2012 but was later postponed to June 2013 and further to August 2014. The first prototype of the SKYe SH09, registered as HB-ZXA, finally took off on October 2, 2014, in Mollis for an initial short test flight. The second prototype, HB-ZXB, completed its maiden flight on February 26, 2016. The helicopter is set to receive certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and subsequently from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The original delivery date was planned for 2018 but has been postponed several times. The inaugural customer is Air Zermatt.
The project was primarily financed by Russian oligarch Alexander Leonidovich Mamut, who invested a total of $380 million in the development of the SH09. The driving force on the technical side was Martin Stucki, the machine engineer and founder of Marenco, until he departed from the company on January 1, 2017, due to disagreements with the financial backer. Andreas Löwenstein has since served as the CEO. The manufacturing facility in Mollis was completed in February 2018. The certification of the helicopter was expected in early 2020 after a fundamental overhaul of the rotor head. The anticipated certification date was later rescheduled to late 2023/early 2024. On March 16, 2023, the fourth prototype, HB-ZXD, made its inaugural flight.
On April 8, 2020, the Italian manufacturer Leonardo announced the completion of the acquisition of Kopter Group AG (Kopter) from Lynwood (Switzerland). The purchase price amounted to $185 million plus earn-out. Kopter is expected to become the competence center for new light helicopters for Leonardo Helicopter. At the end of April 2021, the SH09 was rebranded as the Leonardo AW09.
Stay tuned for more videos, showcasing in-depth views of individual helicopters. These videos will provide viewers with a closer, detailed look at the impressive helicopters and displays highlighted during the event.
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It is my aim to prepare a historical data sheet of any helicopters ever produced since 1946 till today, except for home builds and microliths. It includes the manufacturer's construction / serial number (MSN), current and past registration, type and upgrades of version, year of construction, current location, country, owner/operator, and operator's address/ contact details when wanted.
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