AgustaWestland AW119 Koala

AgustaWestland · Italy · first flew 1995 · helicopter

The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala is a single-engine light turboshaft helicopter seating up to eight people, used for utility, EMS, law enforcement, and training roles. It offers twin-engine-class cabin space with single-engine operating costs.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	12.92 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Single-turboshaft eight-seat light utility helicopter
Tubular skid undercarriage, no retraction
Clean tail boom with horizontal stabiliser strakes

A sleek, modern-looking single-engine helicopter with a relatively wide cabin for its engine class, simple skid undercarriage, and clean rotor mast — distinguished from similar-size twins by having only one engine exhaust.

Specifications

The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala has a length of 12.92 m (42 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.83 m (36 ft).
Its maximum speed is 259 km/h (161 mph).
Typical crew: 1 + 7.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1995, the AW119 was developed by Agusta to fill a gap between their smaller AB 206 and larger twin-engine types. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B turboshaft engine provides good reliability for the single-engine configuration. It entered service in the late 1990s and has been sold to operators across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Variants

The AW119Ke (Koala enhanced) introduced a full glass cockpit; the AW119Kx is the current production variant with further avionics upgrades.

Where you'll see it

Operated by law enforcement agencies, EMS services, and private operators worldwide; the Italian State Police and several US county sheriffs operate the type.

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