AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, has announced that the Uttar Pradesh State Government (India) has started operating its Grand light twin turbine engine helicopter. Configured with a six seat cabin the aircraft will be used for VIP transport purposes in the region.

The delivery of the Uttar Pradesh State Government’s Grand further expands the presence of the world best selling light twin helicopter for VIP transport duties in the Indian helicopter market, where AgustaWestland has already sold more than 20 light twin helicopters including the AW109 Power and Grand models.

AgustaWestland’s presence in the Indian commercial helicopter market has grown strongly in recent years, with the sale of over 30 aircraft including the AW119Ke single engine, the AW109 Power and the Grand light twins and the AW139 medium twin helicopters. The Grand has set new standards in the light twin market and has full Category A/Class 1 performance, the highest cruise speed and the largest and most comfortable cabin in the light twin class. The cabin layout is designed for maximum comfort and utilises the finest materials and craftsmanship with a range of equipment options. A wide choice of modular interiors and tailored avionics solutions makes it a suitable platform for a range of roles including corporate/VIP transport, EMS, SAR, offshore transport, law enforcement and government agency missions. Approximately 290 orders have been placed by almost 150 customers in over 30 countries.