This website uses cookies
More information
Business Air News Bulletin
Business Air News Bulletin
The monthly news publication for aviation professionals.
Related background information from the Handbook...

Leonardo Helicopters
Aircraft

AgustaWestland AW139

BAN's World Gazetteer

Italy
The monthly news publication for aviation professionals.

Request your printed copy

Mukamalah sets flight hours record for AW139 ops
A Leonardo helicopter owner since 2006, Mukamalah has completed 200,000 flight hours on its AW139 fleet, the first operator in the MENA region to do so.
Mukamalah’s AW139 helicopter fleet has set a 200,000 flight hour milestone delivering support for the energy industry and national community.
Read this story in our August 2023 printed issue.

Mukamalah Aviation Company has celebrated a major achievement for its AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopter fleet, setting a 200,000 flight hour milestone in operations.

Mukamalah began life as the aviation department of the Saudi petroleum and natural gas company but was spun off as a separate company earlier this year. CEO Khalid Alnatour says: “As the leading corporate operator, Mukamalah is proud to be the first helicopter operator in the MENA region to achieve this significant milestone. This success would not be possible without our strong partnership with Leonardo Helicopters.”

“We congratulate our partner for this amazing operational milestone,” says Leonardo Helicopters managing director Gian Piero Cutillo. “This has been set thanks to a unique combination of outstanding professional skills and expertise in top class helicopter services and the unmatched capabilities and technologies embedded into our AW139. We are glad to be part of its success delivering critical support to the energy industry and the national community, and we’re committed to sustaining Mukamalah to reach greater and greater operational goals with its AW139s in the future.”

One of the largest operators of Leonardo Helicopters in the Middle East, Mukamalah has been operating AW139s since 2008 and AW109 light twins since 2006, mainly to perform offshore oil and gas transport missions in Saudi Arabia. Today its AW139 fleet consists of 24 units and three additional new AW139s to be delivered this year. The AW139 has outstanding hot and high performance, cabin space and flight/navigation technology, making it ideally suited for Mukamalah’s operational needs.

Other News
 
Test of all-SAF heli flight shows Jet AI-equivalence
December 11, 2023
The first wholly SAF-powered flight of an AW139 with PT6C-67C engines has taken place at Leonardo's facility in Italy. Tests showed no significant differences with the new fuel compared to the use of Jet A1.
ADA AW139 makes first SAF flight in UAE
December 5, 2023
The first, and second, SAF-powered rotorcraft flight in the UAE and Middle East have been undertaken by Abu Dhabi Aviation’s AW139 commercial helicopter.
Europe welcomes AW09 with 10 unit contract by Léman Aviation
November 29, 2023
The launch of the AW09 programme in France comes with tremendous interest from the market, and Léman Aviation looks forward to addressing it as established European distributors discuss inclusion of the model.