Leonardo announced today that ICON Aviation has been appointed an official distributor for the AW109 Trekker light twin engine helicopter in Brazil. The announcement was made during an official ceremony at LABACE exhibition. The distribution agreement, which follows established charter services provided by ICON Aviation in the country with other AW109 variants and the AW139 type, could possibly be extended to additional models. With five main bases in Brazil, ICON Aviation is a prime national player for business aircraft and helicopter sales and services.

The agreement will strengthen the presence of Leonardo in the key Brazilian helicopter market where the AW109 variants have proven popular and successful among many customers for passenger transport duties and other roles. With the AW109 Trekker, already successful in other Latin American nations like Chile, Brazilian operators will benefit from an unmatched combination of cost-effectiveness, technology and leading class performance. In the future, the AW109 Trekker will join a large fleet of Leonardo helicopters in Brazil, which amounts to over 200 helicopters of various types across commercial, parapublic, and military operators to date. Furthermore, Leonardo maintains a leading role in the VIP/Corporate multiengine helicopter market globally with a 50% share in 2017—thanks to the introduction of new successful models like the AW169 light intermediate. An AW169 VIP is on static display at LABACE and is set to start a demo tour in Brazil shortly.