EASA has certified the Arriel 2K engine that powers the Leonardo’s AW09, good news not only for Safran but of course of Leonardo as it brings its big single one step closer to certification. The 2K variant, the latest in the family of Arriel 2 engines in the 1,000 SHP class started bench testing in 2022 and powered the AW09 on its maiden flight in March the following year.
The certification comes at the conclusion of 4100 hours of testing at the Safran facility in Bordes as well as at the French DGA site at Sarclay where icing and endurance testing were completed. In addition more, more than 600 of which were flight hours have been flown on the AW09 prototypes from Molis in Switzerland.
Commenting on the certification, Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Cedric Goubet said “The certification of the Arriel 2K marks another defining step towards the entry into service of the AW09. All the teams at Safran Helicopter Engines are ready to support Leonardo and its customers in bringing this brand-new helicopter into service”.
Image: Safran
