Agusta
Encyclopedia
Agusta is an Italian helicopter
manufacturer. It is based in Samarate
, Northern Italy
. It is a subsidiary of Finmeccanica
. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta
motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm.
, Boeing
and McDonnell Douglas
products as well. The company also had ambitions to design and build its own helicopters. The Agusta A.101
and the Agusta A.106
can be considered the best of its earlier attempts. Others included the AB.102
, A.103
, A.104
, and A.115. It also produced a small line of aero engines such as the GA.70
and GA.140
.
Developed in the 1970s, the Agusta A109 has undoubtedly been the company's biggest success. The A109 is a commercial and military twin turbine helicopter, of which the latest variants are still in production, hundreds having already been sold.
In 1983 the Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter partook in its first official flight engagement. It was the first attack helicopter
to be designed and produced in Western Europe. However, this helicopter has been a limited commercial success so far, seeing service with the Italian Army
, and only now has a modernized variant being developed for the Turkish Army
.
The 1980s saw the start of several collaborative projects for Agusta. In 1981 Agusta and Westland
of Britain started the EH101 medium-lift naval helicopter project in order to satisfy the requirements of the Royal Navy
and the Italian Navy
. In 1985 the company started a collaborative programme with the aeronautic industries of France, Germany and the Netherlands in order to develop and produce the NHI NH90
, a 9-ton twin engine multi-role medium helicopter in order to satisfy the requirements of their respective countries’ armed forces.
1990s projects include the Agusta A109 Power, an improved version of the A109 (1994) and the Agusta A119 Koala
(1997), a single-engine design based on the A109.
Agusta became involved in a notorious Belgian bribery scandal
when it was revealed that the company had paid the two Belgian socialist parties who were then (1988/1989) in the government to assist the company in getting the contract for attack helicopters for the Belgian army.
In 1998 Agusta formed a joint venture with Bell Helicopter Textron
called the Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company
. Its aim was to develop the Bell/Agusta AB139 helicopter and the Bell/Agusta BA609
tiltrotor aircraft. Bell later withdrew from the AB139 project, which is now known as the AgustaWestland AW139
.
In July 2000 Finmeccanica and GKN plc agreed to merge their respective helicopter subsidiaries (Agusta and GKN-Westland Helicopters
), forming AgustaWestland.
Joint ventures:
Licensed production:
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
manufacturer. It is based in Samarate
Samarate
Samarate is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It received the honorary title of city with a presidential decree on February 2, 2009. The frazione of Cascina Costa houses the headquarters of the AgustaWestland division of Finmeccanica,...
, Northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
. It is a subsidiary of Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica S.p.A. is an Italian conglomerate. Finmeccanica is the second largest industrial group and the largest of the hi-tech industrial groups based in Italy. It works in the fields of defence, aerospace, security, automation, transport and energy...
. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta
MV Agusta
MV Agusta is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1945 near Milan in Cascina Costa, Italy. The company began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company formed by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923. The Count died in 1927, leaving the company in the hands of his wife and sons, Domenico, Vincenzo,...
motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company at the end of the Second World War as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm.
History
From 1952 the company got involved in helicopter manufacturing, first building Bell helicopters under licence, but later SikorskySikorsky Aircraft
The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...
, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
and McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
products as well. The company also had ambitions to design and build its own helicopters. The Agusta A.101
Agusta A.101
|-See also:...
and the Agusta A.106
Agusta A.106
|-See also:...
can be considered the best of its earlier attempts. Others included the AB.102
Agusta-Bell AB.102
|-See also:-External links:*...
, A.103
Agusta A.103
-External links:*...
, A.104
Agusta A.104
-External links:*...
, and A.115. It also produced a small line of aero engines such as the GA.70
Agusta GA.70
-Applications:* Agusta A.103* Bölkow Bo 103* de Bernardi Aeroscooter* Phoenix Minor* Phoenix Major-References:* Erickson, Jack. ...
and GA.140
Agusta GA.140
The Agusta GA.140 was a 4-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed engine developed in Italy for helicopter use. It was produced from 1962 to 69.-References:* Erickson, Jack. ...
.
Developed in the 1970s, the Agusta A109 has undoubtedly been the company's biggest success. The A109 is a commercial and military twin turbine helicopter, of which the latest variants are still in production, hundreds having already been sold.
In 1983 the Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter partook in its first official flight engagement. It was the first attack helicopter
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
to be designed and produced in Western Europe. However, this helicopter has been a limited commercial success so far, seeing service with the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
, and only now has a modernized variant being developed for the Turkish Army
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
.
The 1980s saw the start of several collaborative projects for Agusta. In 1981 Agusta and Westland
Westland Aircraft
Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...
of Britain started the EH101 medium-lift naval helicopter project in order to satisfy the requirements of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and the Italian Navy
Marina Militare
The Italian Navy is the navy of the Italian Republic. It is one of the four branches of military forces of Italy; formed in 1946, from what remained of the Regia Marina . As of 2008, the Italian Navy had 35,200 active personnel with 180 commissioned ships, 19 Floating Docks, and 123 aircraft...
. In 1985 the company started a collaborative programme with the aeronautic industries of France, Germany and the Netherlands in order to develop and produce the NHI NH90
NHI NH90
The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The first prototype had its maiden flight in December 1995...
, a 9-ton twin engine multi-role medium helicopter in order to satisfy the requirements of their respective countries’ armed forces.
1990s projects include the Agusta A109 Power, an improved version of the A109 (1994) and the Agusta A119 Koala
AgustaWestland AW119
|-See also:-External links:* *...
(1997), a single-engine design based on the A109.
Agusta became involved in a notorious Belgian bribery scandal
Agusta scandal
The Agusta scandal or the Case Agusta-Dassault was a Belgian corruption scandal. It resulted from the purchase of military helicopter of the Agusta A109 Agusta-type by the Belgian Army in 1988, where Agusta and Dassault bribed various office holders...
when it was revealed that the company had paid the two Belgian socialist parties who were then (1988/1989) in the government to assist the company in getting the contract for attack helicopters for the Belgian army.
In 1998 Agusta formed a joint venture with Bell Helicopter Textron
Bell Helicopter Textron
Bell Helicopter is an American rotorcraft manufacturer headquartered in Hurst, Texas, near Fort Worth. A division of Textron, Bell manufactures military helicopter and tiltrotor products in and around Fort Worth, as well as in Amarillo, Texas, and commercial rotorcraft products in Mirabel, Quebec,...
called the Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company
Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company
Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company is a joint venture formed in 1998 by Bell Helicopter Textron company, and Agusta , who have collaborated on a variety of products dating back to 1952.-History:...
. Its aim was to develop the Bell/Agusta AB139 helicopter and the Bell/Agusta BA609
Bell/Agusta BA609
The AgustaWestland AW609, formerly the Bell/Agusta BA609, is a civil twin-engined tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with a configuration similar to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.-Design and development:...
tiltrotor aircraft. Bell later withdrew from the AB139 project, which is now known as the AgustaWestland AW139
AgustaWestland AW139
The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project...
.
In July 2000 Finmeccanica and GKN plc agreed to merge their respective helicopter subsidiaries (Agusta and GKN-Westland Helicopters
Westland Helicopters
Westland Helicopters was a British aerospace company. Originally Westland Aircraft, the company focused on helicopters after the Second World War. It merged with several other British firms in 1961...
), forming AgustaWestland.
Aircraft
- A.101Agusta A.101|-See also:...
- A.106Agusta A.106|-See also:...
- A109/AW109
- AW119AgustaWestland AW119|-See also:-External links:* *...
- A129 Mangusta
Joint ventures:
- AgustaBell AB139AgustaWestland AW139The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project...
- Bell/Agusta BA609Bell/Agusta BA609The AgustaWestland AW609, formerly the Bell/Agusta BA609, is a civil twin-engined tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with a configuration similar to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.-Design and development:...
(50% share) - EHI Industries EH101
- NH90NHI NH90The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries. The first prototype had its maiden flight in December 1995...
(32% share)
Licensed production:
- AB206
- AB212
- AB412Bell 412The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...