AugustaWestland A109 LUH SAAF: 

Top Photos: P. van Schalkwyk. 

DENEL was awarded a product supply contract by AugustaWestland as part of a multi year programme for the supply of complete airframes and major systems with all components to be locally assembled. As this was a unique custom specification, the first 7 helicopters would be built and completed in Italy with helicopter qualification initially in Italy followed by an extensive testing phase in South Africa. The remaining 23 would be completed in South Africa. As the programme progressed beyond expectations only the first five were completed in Italy with the remaining 25 to be built by DENEL in South Africa.

First Flight:

No 4006 the first locally assembled A109 take off for the first flight during September 2004.

No 4006 as the first DENEL AugustaWesland A109 at the unveiling ceremony during AAD 2004 on 22 September 2004.

No 4004 used for the flying demonstration.

During September 2004 the first locally build A109s no 4006 completed a series of test flights at DENEL’s Kempton Park assembly area. On 22 September 2004 no 4006 was officially handed over to the SAAF at AAD 2004 for integration testing. No 4004 was the flying demonstrator in the hands of AugustaWestland test pilot Mario Argeri, while 4003 was a static exhibit at AAD 2004. All completed A109s were transferred to the SAAF’s “Centre of Helicopter Excellence” at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein, as part of 87 Helicopter Flying School. Various integration tests programmes were successfully completed for the A109 LUH SAAF to evolve as a fully fledged helicopter to be accepted for use by the SAAF during October 2005. It is noted a complete new tail rotor is now fitted to the helicopter as compared to the examples at AAD 2004.