AW109 GrandNew: comparing a charter quote with the Ansat

A charter enquiry may return an AW109 GrandNew option and an Ansat option, each with its own hourly rate, base and cabin layout. To choose an aircraft for your trip, ask for quotes covering the same itinerary and payload. Start with the total for the complete programme: that is the amount relevant to your assignment.

The operator must confirm the current AW109 GrandNew hourly rate for your dates. This article contains no rate that could be mistaken for an available offer. It sets out the questions to ask about a quote and the details to check when comparing it with an Ansat.

Establish which AW109 is being offered

AW109 is a helicopter family. The GrandNew also carries the AW109SP designation. Keep the full version name in both your enquiry and the quotation. A photograph of another family member tells you little about the cabin of the aircraft proposed for your flight.

Leonardo's official product range lists a passenger configuration of up to six seats for the AW109 GrandNew. This is a model specification. For your trip, request the installed cabin layout, the available passenger seats and photographs of the baggage compartment. The operator must check passengers, baggage and fuel against the requirements of the actual route.

The Ansat manufacturer describes it as a light twin-engine multipurpose helicopter with several configurations, including passenger and VIP versions. The name in a quote therefore needs further detail too: which cabin is available, how the seats are arranged and where the bags will go. A medical interior photograph does not describe the passenger aircraft being offered.

What makes up the price

Ask the operator to list the flight legs: positioning to your departure point, the passenger itinerary and the subsequent return flight. Establish which legs are included in the total. If an aircraft is based far from your starting point, positioning can change the comparison substantially. Its actual effect must be established from the quote.

Next, discuss time on the ground. For a business meeting, state the intended return departure time and how much it might change. Ask about waiting, changes to the assignment and a separate return positioning flight. The payable items depend on the offer and contract; a single billing model cannot be assumed for every operator.

For an hourly rate, check how billable time is defined, whether there is a minimum booking and which costs are included. Ask separately about fuel, handling at the destinations, VAT and the quote's validity. These questions let you compare offers on equivalent terms. An hourly figure alone leaves too much unresolved.

Compare the aircraft for your particular trip

Create a short comparison table for the two offers. Each row should describe something the operator has confirmed for the actual flight.

Published speed figures provide background on a model. For a meeting schedule, request an estimate for your route and allow for the ground journey to the landing site. Dividing a straight-line distance by a brochure speed leaves the actual flight conditions outside the calculation.

Avoid judging comfort from the seat count alone. Request photographs of the proposed cabin and ask where bags will be stowed and whether a bulky item can be carried. A short business visit and a trip with substantial luggage have different requirements. Describe your assignment first, then compare the confirmed options.

What to include in the price enquiry

Give the date, departure and arrival points, passenger count, and baggage weights and dimensions. Add the required arrival time, return itinerary and any flexibility in the dates. For a landing near a work site, supply coordinates, photographs and a contact who knows the location. The operator will determine what further information is needed to assess the flight.

Keep a single version of the brief when comparing offers. If passenger numbers change or another landing is added, send the update to everyone preparing a quote. Otherwise, a lower total may refer to an earlier assignment.

My work includes business plans and financial models for aviation businesses. For this comparison, it helps to record the inputs: who and what must travel, where, when, and under which return arrangements. The cost items that make the offers different then become easier to identify.

Choosing between the AW109 GrandNew and the Ansat ends with checking the specific offer. Ask for confirmation of aircraft availability, the programme, payload and total price. The operator assesses whether the flight can be performed; the model name alone does not establish that.

Alexander Filimonov

Specification sources: Leonardo product range, Ansat manufacturer description.