Amid swirling dancers and projected rocky landscapes, AgustaWestland drew a crowd on the exhibit floor yesterday afternoon with the formal unveiling of the latest addition to its lineup, the AW109 Trekker, its first light twin to offer skid landing gear. Expected to receive certification and begin deliveries next year, the helicopter wore the colors of launch customer Dallas-based aeromedical transport provider SevenBar, which has also ordered another AW109 and a pair of AW119s as part of its first foray into rotorcraft operation.

The helicopter, which can accommodate six passengers or up to two stretchers with two medical attendants, will be produced at the company’s Philadelphia facility. Based on the AW109/Grand, the Trekker is equipped with the Garmin G1000H glass cockpit and is powered by a pair of Fadec-equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207C 815-shp engines for a max cruise speed of 154 knots. With a maximum takeoff weight of 7,000 pounds, it will have an endurance of up to four hours and 20 minutes, or a 445 nm range, with the OEM’s modular five-cell fuel system.