AgustaWestland, has signed agreements with three key suppliers for its AW609 TiltRotor programme. These three major agreements form part of a succession of contracts signed with AW609 TiltRotor component suppliers since AgustaWestland acquired the tiltrotor programme in November 2011. These latest agreements signed with Pratt & Whitney Canada, Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems are a major milestone in the programme for development and certification of the AW609 TiltRotor. AgustaWestland remains committed to certification of the AW609 TiltRotor through FAA and EASA within the first half of 2016 with deliveries immediately thereafter. Pratt & Whitney Canada will provide an upgraded version of the PT6 engine for the AW609 TiltRotor which will include the latest in technological developments and provide the aircraft with increased performance capabilities as well as the latest safety enhancements.

“Using the legendary PT6 engine as its base, P&WC has built a dependable and highly flexible family of turboshaft engines, designed to meet our customers’ power requirements,” confirmed Richard Dussault, Vice President, Marketing, P&WC. “Innovation, dependability and sound operating economics are in the PT6’s DNA.” Rockwell Collins will provide a fully integrated cockpit for the AW609 TiltRotor based on its Pro Line Fusion system, allowing AgustaWestland to adopt the very latest in commercial aircraft cockpit technologies, including 14 inch (35.5 cm) touch screen displays, integrated flight management systems with satellite based navigation, synthetic and enhanced vision systems and Head-Up-Display interfaces; all of which will be integrated with the aircraft’s own avionics management systems. This cockpit suite will provide the crew with increased situational awareness and will reduce pilot workload to permit single pilot IFR operations of the AW609 TiltRotor.