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398:) anti-torque system technology. CEO Brad Pedersen says the company is trying to support the MD902 “where it can,” but the production line for the aircraft has been dormant for 10 years, as has the supply chain for components. “The MD902 is a difficult discussion, and we don’t have a path forward right now,” Pedersen says.
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The new owners of MD Helicopters envision raising production to 50 helicopters a year by 2025 as the company rebuilds after exiting bankruptcy in August 2022. The plans are part of efforts by the OEM's new owners to turn around the company's fortunes after what new CEO Brad
Pedersen described as the
820:
271:, the Chief Executive Officer and sole principal of Patriarch Partners, was CEO of MD Helicopters until she relinquished control in March 2020 following bankruptcy court rulings related to Patriarch holdings.
263:
After suffering dismal commercial performance, the company was purchased in 2005 by
Patriarch Partners, LLC, an investment fund. The company was recapitalized as an independent company,
207:
attack helicopter. By
December 1981, six AH-64A prototypes had been built and the Army had awarded a production contract to the company. Production would reach more than 1,100 by 2005.
161:
was Hughes' first successful helicopter design. Built in 1956, and entering production in 1957, it would eventually become part of the Army inventory as a primary trainer, designated
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74:
404:“The question is from a business standpoint, where do we spend our time focusing, and what’s the biggest bang for the buck?” Pedersen says. NOTAR, he suggests, is not a priority.
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In 2016, MD Helicopters had claimed it was making investments in the NOTAR technology, but
Pedersen says there is no evidence of these efforts.
110:) is an American aerospace manufacturer. It produces light utility helicopters for commercial and military use. The company was a subsidiary of
670:
394:
In 2023, the outlook looks bleak for the restart in production of the twin-engine MD902 or further investment in the company’s No Tail Rotor (
256:, an indirect subsidiary of the Dutch company, RDM Holding Inc. The line included the MD 500 and variants as well as the family of derivative
118:
acquired it and renamed it McDonnell
Douglas Helicopter Systems. It later became MD Helicopters in 1999 after McDonnell Douglas merged with
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aircraft that originated with Hughes
Helicopters Inc. Boeing maintained the AH-64 line of helicopters and rights to the NOTAR system.
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in 1981. However, throughout its history, the company was informally known as Hughes
Helicopters. The company was sold to
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173:. Schweizer was eventually purchased by Sikorsky Aircraft, which is itself now a division of
298:“rocky heritage” of the manufacturer under different owners since it was spun off from the
8:
793:"New MD Helicopters Owners Plan Aggressive Ramp Up In Production | Aviation Week Network"
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over copyright and also has built closer relations with Boeing to cooperate on the
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In May 1965, the company won the contract for a new observation helicopter for the
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Hughes
Helicopters produced three major designs during its 37-year history. The
770:"Buyer for MD Helicopters emerges as airframer enters Chapter 11 restructuring"
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The company began in 1947 as a unit of Hughes
Aircraft, then was part of the
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and now as
Vertical Lift division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security
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241:, but Boeing's subsequent plans to sell the civilian helicopter line to
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in August 1984. In 1986, McDonnell Douglas sold all the rights to the
219:
671:"Boeing: Boeing Announces Sale of its Light Helicopter Product Lines"
218:. McDonnell Douglas paid $ 470 million for the company and made it a
279:
188:(Hughes Model 369). The OH-6 was later developed into the civilian
134:
Schweizer 300CB, which began as the Hughes Model 269 in the 1950s.
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in 1998 were thwarted by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
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In 2023, the company closed out a long-running dispute with
651:
Boeing Announces Sale of its Light Helicopter Product Lines
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platform, which shares a similar airframe to the MD530F.
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Insurance, providing around $ 60 million of financing as
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after 1955. It became the helicopter division of Hughes'
632:
The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004
938:
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022
252:
of the civilian line of helicopters to a newly formed
210:
In January 1984, Hughes Helicopters, Inc. was sold to
192:, variants of which remain in production to this day.
278:
protection for restructuration, to be acquired by a
817:"Merger or no, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas linked"
329:(Under both McDonnell Douglas and MD Helicopters)
237:On August 1, 1997, McDonnell Douglas merged into
919:
634:, p. 155. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003.
267:. MD Helicopters is based in Mesa, Arizona.
203:In 1975, the company won the contract for the
928:Helicopter manufacturers of the United States
864:
767:
595:, pp. 14–15. London: Salamander Books, 1992.
365:(Currently just support, not production line)
359:(Currently just support, not production line)
351:(Currently just support, not production line)
274:By March 2022, the manufacturer filed for US
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878:
492:"The Hughes Tool Co. ... Looking at Rotors"
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857:
25:
469:
933:Manufacturing companies based in Arizona
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320:
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531:
480:. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission.
920:
715:"Interesting News from MD Helicopters"
707:
591:Richardson, Doug and Lindsay Peacock.
300:merger of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing
852:
787:
785:
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146:in 1972, and was finally reformed as
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475:
378:Boeing Defense, Space & Security
224:McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
108:McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
697:"OH-6 Cayuse/Hughes 500 Helicopter"
13:
780:
14:
949:
837:
516:. SpruceGoose.org. Archived from
735:. MD Helicopters. Archived from
733:"Company Background Information"
514:"Hughes Model 269A (TH55) Osage"
496:Post-War Developments: 1946-1956
165:. In 1983, the company licensed
809:
768:Dominic Perry (30 March 2022).
761:
750:
663:
644:
575:"The Boeing Logbook: 1977-1982"
557:"The Boeing Logbook: 1971-1976"
539:"The Boeing Logbook: 1964-1970"
369:(Under McDonnell Douglas only)
284:Bardin Hill Investment Partners
75:Bardin Hill Investment Partners
16:American aerospace manufacturer
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585:
506:
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376:- Product line transferred to
248:In 1999, Boeing completed the
1:
613:The Boeing Logbook: 1997-2001
463:
844:MD Helicopters official site
819:. 2012-10-24. Archived from
757:Tilton Out at MD Helicopters
7:
407:
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254:MD Helicopter Holdings Inc.
10:
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125:
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448:Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
388:Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
85:
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24:
699:. Boeing. Archived from
577:. Boeing. Archived from
559:. Boeing. Archived from
541:. Boeing. Archived from
498:. Boeing. Archived from
426:helicopter manufacturers
148:Hughes Helicopters, Inc.
892:MD 500/MD 520N/MD 530F
478:"The Hughes Companies"
326:
325:MD 902 (German police)
200:
135:
686:. Boeing News Release
660:, Boeing, 1999-02-19.
593:Combat Aircraft AH-64
324:
276:Chapter 11 bankruptcy
198:
133:
739:on December 29, 2010
104:MD Helicopters, LLC.
20:MD Helicopters, LLC.
453:Russian Helicopters
265:MD Helicopters, Inc
184:, and produced the
140:Hughes Tool Company
21:
656:2007-12-28 at the
618:2013-01-02 at the
438:Airbus Helicopters
414:Hughes Helicopters
327:
282:consortium led by
232:Schweizer Aircraft
201:
167:Schweizer Aircraft
136:
19:
915:
914:
630:Frawley, Gerard:
458:Sikorsky Aircraft
424:Comparable major
216:Summa Corporation
212:McDonnell Douglas
152:McDonnell Douglas
144:Summa Corporation
116:McDonnell Douglas
114:until 1984, when
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311:AH-6 Little Bird
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339:MD 500 Defender
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243:Bell Helicopter
175:Lockheed Martin
169:to produce the
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112:Hughes Aircraft
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838:External links
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721:on 2019-07-09.
706:
703:on 2006-11-28.
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581:on 2012-03-06.
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54:Mesa, Arizona
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825:. Retrieved
821:the original
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800:. Retrieved
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774:FlightGlobal
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741:. Retrieved
737:the original
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522:. Retrieved
518:the original
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374:AH-64 Apache
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205:AH-64 Apache
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50:Headquarters
34:Company type
907:MD Explorer
363:MD Explorer
269:Lynn Tilton
186:OH-6 Cayuse
163:TH-55 Osage
65:Helicopters
922:Categories
827:2024-02-28
802:2024-02-28
743:2007-02-25
681:2008-02-07
524:2006-12-07
464:References
307:Aerometals
228:Model 300C
220:subsidiary
171:Model 300C
106:(formerly
199:An AH-64A
190:Model 500
182:U.S. Army
154:in 1984.
81:Insurance
45:Aerospace
882:aircraft
654:Archived
616:Archived
408:See also
317:Products
280:creditor
250:spin off
61:Products
42:Industry
380:in 1998
292:debtors
126:History
86:Website
37:Private
902:MD 600
638:
599:
357:MD 600
349:MD 520
344:MD 530
334:MD 500
239:Boeing
120:Boeing
56:, U.S.
419:NOTAR
396:NOTAR
258:NOTAR
71:Owner
636:ISBN
597:ISBN
288:MBIA
286:and
95:.com
79:MBIA
77:and
230:to
214:by
91:www
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