- News
- May 19, 2025
- 5 min read
Leonardo Sees Growing Demand for VIP Helicopters
Leonardo is presenting new helicopter cabin interior concepts at EBACE 2025 as demand grows for corporate and VIP rotorcraft.
Leonardo is benefiting from growing demand for corporate and VIP helicopters, with several orders set to be announced at EBACE 2025. Contracts for at least two models are expected to be signed by customers from Europe and Asia.
The Italian group is the only aircraft manufacturer represented at the newly formatted EBACE exhibition in Geneva this year, where it is displaying an example of the AW139 Trekker multi-role helicopter on the show floor. It is seeing healthy demand for its AW139 and AW169, with all models receiving support from the 2021 relaunch of its Agusta VIP helicopter brand. Leonardo is also promoting the 30th anniversary of its partnership with UK and Ireland distributor Sloane Helicopters this month.
According to Manuela Barbarossa, Leonardo’s VVIP and corporate senior sales and marketing manager, orders in this sector have been growing over the past five or six years. “The market is largely responding to the need among individuals and businesses for point-to-point transport links,” she said.
Barbarossa explained that customers increasingly view helicopters not only as a means of transport but also as a good investment asset. “When they are not using the helicopter themselves, they can allow an operator to use it for charter flights, and this is attracting a new generation of customers who may initially charter a helicopter and then move on to ownership.”
This shared-use model, which offsets part of the cost of helicopter ownership, is more financially viable. Leonardo has recently seen the strongest European demand in the UK, as well as in other markets including Mexico, South America, Northeast Asia, India and the Middle East.
Want to Fly in a Helicopter?
In Leonardo’s experience, customers buying helicopters for personal use tend to be the most demanding, as they view the aircraft as an extension of their lifestyle and sometimes bring their families to the manufacturer to refine the cabin interior and other specifications. About half of the manufacturer’s current sales fall into this category, while most of the remainder are a mix of charter, utility and cargo roles.
To help customers define the look and feel of their helicopters, Leonardo’s design team has introduced “mood boxes” presenting several options for interior materials and colors. These were also presented at EBACE, together with cabin mock-ups designed to reflect the mood of cities including Florence, Fortaleza, Tokyo, London and New York.
Meanwhile, to ensure predictable operating costs for customers, Leonardo offers its Agusta For You service packages, which cover all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. “It covers everything and, for the AW139, includes avionics, so there are no surprises and all costs are fully defined,” Barbarossa said.
Leonardo is benefiting from growing demand for corporate and VIP helicopters, with several orders set to be announced at EBACE 2025. Contracts for at least two models are expected to be signed by customers from Europe and Asia.
The Italian group is the only aircraft manufacturer represented at the newly formatted EBACE exhibition in Geneva this year, where it is displaying an example of the AW139 Trekker multi-role helicopter on the show floor. It is seeing healthy demand for its AW139 and AW169, with all models receiving support from the 2021 relaunch of its Agusta VIP helicopter brand. Leonardo is also promoting the 30th anniversary of its partnership with UK and Ireland distributor Sloane Helicopters this month.
According to Manuela Barbarossa, Leonardo’s VVIP and corporate senior sales and marketing manager, orders in this sector have been growing over the past five or six years. “The market is largely responding to the need among individuals and businesses for point-to-point transport links,” she said.
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Barbarossa explained that customers increasingly view helicopters not only as a means of transport but also as a good investment asset. “When they are not using the helicopter themselves, they can allow an operator to use it for charter flights, and this is attracting a new generation of customers who may initially charter a helicopter and then move on to ownership.”
This shared-use model, which offsets part of the cost of helicopter ownership, is more financially viable. Leonardo has recently seen the strongest European demand in the UK, as well as in other markets including Mexico, South America, Northeast Asia, India and the Middle East.
Want to Fly in a Helicopter?
In Leonardo’s experience, customers buying helicopters for personal use tend to be the most demanding, as they view the aircraft as an extension of their lifestyle and sometimes bring their families to the manufacturer to refine the cabin interior and other specifications. About half of the manufacturer’s current sales fall into this category, while most of the remainder are a mix of charter, utility and cargo roles.
To help customers define the look and feel of their helicopters, Leonardo’s design team has introduced “mood boxes” presenting several options for interior materials and colors. These were also presented at EBACE, together with cabin mock-ups designed to reflect the mood of cities including Florence, Fortaleza, Tokyo, London and New York.
Meanwhile, to ensure predictable operating costs for customers, Leonardo offers its Agusta For You service packages, which cover all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance. “It covers everything and, for the AW139, includes avionics, so there are no surprises and all costs are fully defined,” Barbarossa said.
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