On Friday 17th December, the Fire Department in Brazil’s state of Goias took delivery of the first of three AgustaWestland AW119Ke helicopters bought by the state. Lieutenant Colonel Múcio Santos Ferreira of the Fire Department said that the cost 7 million Brazilian Reals – approximatly US$4 million.  The aircraft has the capacity to be used in various missions such as transporting road accident victims, rescue in areas of difficult access, preventing and fighting forest fires, air medical transport, and actions of Civil Defense and other search and rescue operations.

The handover took place at the 4th National Forum on Aviation Security Service, held in the city of Caldas Novas.  Two more 119Ke helicopters are scheduled for delivery to the civil and military police departments in Goias.

The AW119  is serial 14765 and registered PR-CBG – previously flight tested at AgustaWestland”s facility in Philadelphia as N377SH