AW169
ICAO A169Leonardo's newest light twin, flown by the Italian Army and customs service. Live AW169 positions.
Flying right now
Live · 30sAirframe
- Manufacturer
- Leonardo
- Role
- Light-intermediate utility helicopter
- Class
- H2T — Helicopter, 2 turboshaft engines
- Crew
- 1 to 2
- First flight
- 10 May 2012
- In service
- 2015
Operators airborne
About the AW169
The AW169 fills the gap between the AW109 and the AW139, and it was designed from scratch rather than stretched from either. It has a five-blade rotor, retractable undercarriage and a cabin large enough for air ambulance or troop work.
Italy is the significant military customer. The Army operates it as the UH-169A and B for utility and training, and the Guardia di Finanza — the customs and financial police, which is a military corps in Italy — flies it for patrol and law enforcement.
Elsewhere it is mostly an air ambulance and offshore helicopter, and those civil examples share the designator. Expect Italian aircraft to dominate this page.
Callsign prefixes
- IAM
- Italian armed forces
- GUARDIA
- Guardia di Finanza patrol flights
- RESCUE
- Air ambulance tasking
How to recognise it
- —A light twin with a five-blade main rotor and retractable wheels.
- —A rounded nose, large cabin windows and a tailboom that tapers into a swept fin.
- —Between an AW109 and an AW139 in size — noticeably chunkier than the 109.
Common questions
+ What is the UH-169?
The Italian Army designation for its AW169 fleet, used for utility transport, liaison and training. A version with a mission fit for armed reconnaissance has also been developed.
+ How does the AW169 differ from the AW139?
It is a size class smaller, with a lighter maximum weight and a smaller cabin, designed for roles where the 139 is more helicopter than the job needs.
+ Why does the Guardia di Finanza appear on a military tracker?
In Italy it is a military corps, part of the armed forces, responsible for customs and financial policing. Its aircraft are carried in the feed this site reads.