Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Travis County in Texas plans to add three Leonardo AW169s to the Star Flight EMS program beginning in October next year. The helicopters will be the first EMS-configured AW169s to enter service in the U.S. The AW169s will also be used to support the county's search-and-rescue, fire-suppression and law-enforcement missions in the area surrounding Austin, Texas.

 


The AW169s will allow Star Flight to expand operational capabilities and transport patients longer distances. The helicopters will be configured with a multipurpose interior with specialty EMS equipment and stretchers that can be reconfigured to incorporate search-and-rescue and firefighting kits. Additionally, Travis County’s AW169s will be equipped with a hoist and a 300-gallon Simplex belly tank.

 


According to Leonardo, agreements for 160 AW169s have been signed by 70 customers in 30 countries.

 


Separately, Leonardo has secured orders for the AW169, AW139 and AW189 in firefighting configurations and signed contracts with the Yamaguchi Prefecture Firefighting and Disaster Relief Agency for one AW169 and with the Shizuoka Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture Fire Fighting &amp; Disaster Relief agencies for one AW139 each, adding to an established fleet of 50 in all market segments. The contract with the Yamaguchi Prefecture represents the third AW169 to be sold into Japan and the first for firefighting. A contract with the Tokyo Fire Department for an AW189 marks the debut of that model in Japan. All aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2019 and 2020 and will feature a Bambi Bucket, rescue hoist and searchlight as well as customer-specific equipment.

 


The Tokyo Fire Department AW189 has 19 seats, dual hoist and extended-range auxiliary fuel tank for long-range missions to remote islands. The AW139 for the Shizuoka Prefecture Fire Fighting &amp; Disaster Relief Agency will carry out rescue operations in the area of Mount Fuji and will also be equipped with a belly tank and a gyro-stabilized camera with microwave downlink (Heli-TV). The AW139 for Fukushima Prefecture is equipped with snow skis, while the Yamaguchi Prefecture Fire Fighting &amp; Disaster Relief Agency AW169 will have a full glass cockpit with four-axis autopilot and the Heli-TV system.

 


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