Leonardo, March 22, 2026 - Asunción, Paraguay - Private company Aeropar, of Paraguay, has procured two AW109 Trekker light twin helicopters to perform utility transport missions starting in 2028, marking the entrance of Leonardo helicopters into the country’s rotorcraft market. An announcement was made on 16 March at the International Airport of Asunción, in the presence of representatives from institutions and industry.
Aeropar delivers aviation transport services in Paraguay and Brazil, with its' main bases located in Paraguay at International Airport Ciudad del Este and Silvio Pettirossi International Airport Asunción. It operates a mix of 15 aircraft and rotary wing aircraft delivering technical support, maintenance and training services. The company is playing an important role in the set-up of a new aviation ecosystem in Paraguay, supporting the need for a modern transportation network. This is in line with a national economy growth requirement for fast mobility services as a further key level of development.
With its top category maximum speed, large cabin, advanced flight and navigation technology, and skids which operate on any terrain, the AW109 Trekker is a valuable asset and the perfect fit for this new requirement. The deal with Aeropar further expands the already solid presence of Leonardo in the Latin America’s helicopter market. This includes over 400 aircraft covering both commercial and military sectors across a wide spectrum of tasks such as VIP/corporate transport, offshore transport supporting the energy industry, law enforcement, rescue, firefighting, utility and naval roles.
With nearly 1700 aircraft sold across the globe for the widest spectrum of applications to date, the AW109 series has established itself as one of the most successful light twin in decades, and has proven extremely successful in Central and South America. The AW109 Trekker maintains the AW109’s large cabin and exceptional performance while offering greater payload at a competitive cost, thus proving perfectly suited to meet the stringent requirements of operators in terms of capabilities, efficiency and economics. The AW109 Trekker is the latest addition to Leonardo’s light twin helicopter portfolio and the company’s first light twin to offer skid landing gear.
The latest Genesys Aerosystems “glass”cockpit provides pilots only with the necessary information to help reduce their workload while flying in challenging environments and in demanding weather conditions. The AW109 Trekker retains the same characteristics of high productivity, excellent performance and flying qualities, high manoeuvrability, robustness, advanced navigation capabilities and high inherent safety of the other light twin helicopters produced by Leonardo.
The spacious cabin, the same size as the Grand/GrandNew, can accommodate up to six passengers. Capable of single pilot operations, an additional passenger can be seated in the cockpit if required. The AW109 Trekker incorporates many safety features including a cocoon-type airframe; crash resistant fuel system, crew and passengers seats, full Cat. A / Class 1 performance in hot environments and a 30 minute ‘run-dry’ main gear box.
About Leonardo : Leonardo is an international industrial group, among the main global companies in Aerospace, Defence, and Security (AD&S). With 60,000 employees worldwide, the company approaches global security through the Helicopters, Electronics, Aeronautics, Cyber & Security and Space sectors, and is a partner on the most important international programmes such as Eurofighter, JSF, NH-90, FREMM, GCAP, and Eurodrone. Leonardo has significant production capabilities in Italy, the UK, Poland, and the USA. Leonardo utilises its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and shareholdings, which include Leonardo DRS (71.4%), MBDA (25%), ATR (50% ), Hensoldt (22.8%), Telespazio (67%), Thales Alenia Space (33%), and Avio (19.3%). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2024 Leonardo recorded new orders for €20.9 billion, with an order book of €44.2 billion and consolidated revenues of €17.8 billion. Included in the MIB ESG index, the company has also been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) since 2010.
Aeropar delivers aviation transport services in Paraguay and Brazil, with its' main bases located in Paraguay at International Airport Ciudad del Este and Silvio Pettirossi International Airport Asunción. It operates a mix of 15 aircraft and rotary wing aircraft delivering technical support, maintenance and training services. The company is playing an important role in the set-up of a new aviation ecosystem in Paraguay, supporting the need for a modern transportation network. This is in line with a national economy growth requirement for fast mobility services as a further key level of development.
With its top category maximum speed, large cabin, advanced flight and navigation technology, and skids which operate on any terrain, the AW109 Trekker is a valuable asset and the perfect fit for this new requirement. The deal with Aeropar further expands the already solid presence of Leonardo in the Latin America’s helicopter market. This includes over 400 aircraft covering both commercial and military sectors across a wide spectrum of tasks such as VIP/corporate transport, offshore transport supporting the energy industry, law enforcement, rescue, firefighting, utility and naval roles.
With nearly 1700 aircraft sold across the globe for the widest spectrum of applications to date, the AW109 series has established itself as one of the most successful light twin in decades, and has proven extremely successful in Central and South America. The AW109 Trekker maintains the AW109’s large cabin and exceptional performance while offering greater payload at a competitive cost, thus proving perfectly suited to meet the stringent requirements of operators in terms of capabilities, efficiency and economics. The AW109 Trekker is the latest addition to Leonardo’s light twin helicopter portfolio and the company’s first light twin to offer skid landing gear.
The latest Genesys Aerosystems “glass”cockpit provides pilots only with the necessary information to help reduce their workload while flying in challenging environments and in demanding weather conditions. The AW109 Trekker retains the same characteristics of high productivity, excellent performance and flying qualities, high manoeuvrability, robustness, advanced navigation capabilities and high inherent safety of the other light twin helicopters produced by Leonardo.
The spacious cabin, the same size as the Grand/GrandNew, can accommodate up to six passengers. Capable of single pilot operations, an additional passenger can be seated in the cockpit if required. The AW109 Trekker incorporates many safety features including a cocoon-type airframe; crash resistant fuel system, crew and passengers seats, full Cat. A / Class 1 performance in hot environments and a 30 minute ‘run-dry’ main gear box.
About Leonardo : Leonardo is an international industrial group, among the main global companies in Aerospace, Defence, and Security (AD&S). With 60,000 employees worldwide, the company approaches global security through the Helicopters, Electronics, Aeronautics, Cyber & Security and Space sectors, and is a partner on the most important international programmes such as Eurofighter, JSF, NH-90, FREMM, GCAP, and Eurodrone. Leonardo has significant production capabilities in Italy, the UK, Poland, and the USA. Leonardo utilises its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and shareholdings, which include Leonardo DRS (71.4%), MBDA (25%), ATR (50% ), Hensoldt (22.8%), Telespazio (67%), Thales Alenia Space (33%), and Avio (19.3%). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2024 Leonardo recorded new orders for €20.9 billion, with an order book of €44.2 billion and consolidated revenues of €17.8 billion. Included in the MIB ESG index, the company has also been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) since 2010.
See also |
AW109S Trekker in
Aeropar Paraguay 
