Leonardo AW139 for Sale: Price, Specs and Buying Guide

Leonardo AW139 price in 2026

Expect to pay $4,900,000 to $10,500,000 for a pre-owned AW139 as of 2026 market range, with the average sitting closer to $7,000,000. Historical data from Winter 2021 showed an even wider band, $4,200,000 to $12,000,000, so the market has narrowed somewhat but individual asking prices still move a long way on year, total time and configuration.

Offshore-configured aircraft with current emergency flotation gear and a clean HUMS trend history price at the top of the range. A VIP or corporate interior with fewer flight hours can cost less to acquire but more to bring up to an offshore-contract standard if you later want to charter it into that market.

Because the AW139 dominates a genuine commercial fleet, not just a private-owner market, pricing is comparatively transparent versus a type like the AW109 or S-76: more transactions happen, and brokers see more comparable sales.

What to check before you buy an AW139

Before committing to an AW139, ask for documentation on:

• Twin Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C engine borescope results, trend monitoring and overhaul status.
• Main, intermediate and tail gearbox oil analysis and chip-detection history.
• HUMS data continuity, standard fit on the AW139 and a contractual requirement for most offshore work.
• Main rotor blade and hub life-limit tracking.
• Emergency flotation gear and life-raft currency if the aircraft has flown or will fly offshore contracts.
• Corrosion inspection given typical salt-water and offshore basing in Nigeria, Angola and Ghana.
• Compliance with operator-specific offshore ADs and Service Bulletins, and CAT-A performance certification.

Running costs

Budget around $5,339 per flight hour at 300 owner-operated hours a year and $9 a gallon fuel, an aircraftcostcalculator.com 2025 estimate. Charter or rental rates are quoted separately, and sit around $1,250 an hour, a useful benchmark if you are weighing ownership against chartering one for a specific job.

That per-hour figure covers fuel, scheduled maintenance under the PT6C-67C engine program and routine gearbox monitoring. It does not cover crew, hangarage or the offshore-specific costs, HUET training, flotation-gear recertification, that come with a genuine oil and gas contract.

For scheduled maintenance planning once you own one, our helicopter maintenance guide covers where African owners actually send AW139s for gearbox and engine work.

Who the AW139 suits in Africa

This is the offshore workhorse. If your mission is crew change to a platform, VIP transport for a corporate or government fleet, or EMS work that needs two engines and a flat-floor cabin, the AW139 is the type the rest of the African market is measured against.

Nigeria is the clearest example: Bristow Helicopters Nigeria and Caverton Helicopters both operate the type from Lagos and the Port Harcourt NAF Base, and the surrounding parts and maintenance ecosystem is built to support it. A smaller but real population also flies in Angola's offshore sector.

If your mission does not need the full 12 to 15 seats or the offshore certification overhead, the Leonardo AW109 covers VIP and utility work at a lower entry price, and the Sikorsky S-76 remains a lower-cost medium-twin alternative in the pre-owned market even as new offshore contracts increasingly go to the AW139. Photos and component status sheets for specific AW139 airframes are available on request via WhatsApp.