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409:) 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
831:
282:, 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.
274:
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,
218:
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.
172:
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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85:
415:“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.
121:) is an American aerospace manufacturer. It produces light utility helicopters for commercial and military use. The company was a subsidiary of
681:
405:
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 (
267:, 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
129:
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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184:. Schweizer was eventually purchased by Sikorsky Aircraft, which is itself now a division of
309:“rocky heritage” of the manufacturer under different owners since it was spun off from the
8:
804:"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
781:"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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237:
in August 1984. In 1986, McDonnell Douglas sold all the rights to the
230:
682:"Boeing: Boeing Announces Sale of its Light Helicopter Product Lines"
229:. McDonnell Douglas paid $ 470 million for the company and made it a
290:
199:(Hughes Model 369). The OH-6 was later developed into the civilian
145:
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
662:
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
153:
after 1955. It became the helicopter division of Hughes'
643:
The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004
949:
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022
263:
of the civilian line of helicopters to a newly formed
221:
In January 1984, Hughes Helicopters, Inc. was sold to
203:, variants of which remain in production to this day.
289:
protection for restructuration, to be acquired by a
828:"Merger or no, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas linked"
340:(Under both McDonnell Douglas and MD Helicopters)
248:On August 1, 1997, McDonnell Douglas merged into
930:
645:, p. 155. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003.
278:. MD Helicopters is based in Mesa, Arizona.
214:In 1975, the company won the contract for the
939:Helicopter manufacturers of the United States
875:
778:
606:, pp. 14–15. London: Salamander Books, 1992.
376:(Currently just support, not production line)
370:(Currently just support, not production line)
362:(Currently just support, not production line)
285:By March 2022, the manufacturer filed for US
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503:"The Hughes Tool Co. ... Looking at Rotors"
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36:
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944:Manufacturing companies based in Arizona
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491:. U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission.
14:
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726:"Interesting News from MD Helicopters"
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602:Richardson, Doug and Lindsay Peacock.
311:merger of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing
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798:
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157:in 1972, and was finally reformed as
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389:Boeing Defense, Space & Security
235:McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
119:McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
18:McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
708:"OH-6 Cayuse/Hughes 500 Helicopter"
24:
791:
25:
960:
848:
527:. SpruceGoose.org. Archived from
746:. MD Helicopters. Archived from
744:"Company Background Information"
525:"Hughes Model 269A (TH55) Osage"
507:Post-War Developments: 1946-1956
176:. In 1983, the company licensed
820:
779:Dominic Perry (30 March 2022).
772:
761:
674:
655:
586:"The Boeing Logbook: 1977-1982"
568:"The Boeing Logbook: 1971-1976"
550:"The Boeing Logbook: 1964-1970"
380:(Under McDonnell Douglas only)
295:Bardin Hill Investment Partners
86:Bardin Hill Investment Partners
27:American aerospace manufacturer
617:
596:
517:
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387:- Product line transferred to
259:In 1999, Boeing completed the
13:
1:
624:The Boeing Logbook: 1997-2001
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855:MD Helicopters official site
830:. 2012-10-24. Archived from
768:Tilton Out at MD Helicopters
7:
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265:MD Helicopter Holdings Inc.
10:
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459:Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
399:Boeing Rotorcraft Systems
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44:
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710:. Boeing. Archived from
588:. Boeing. Archived from
570:. Boeing. Archived from
552:. Boeing. Archived from
509:. Boeing. Archived from
437:helicopter manufacturers
159:Hughes Helicopters, Inc.
903:MD 500/MD 520N/MD 530F
489:"The Hughes Companies"
337:
336:MD 902 (German police)
211:
146:
697:. Boeing News Release
671:, Boeing, 1999-02-19.
604:Combat Aircraft AH-64
335:
287:Chapter 11 bankruptcy
209:
144:
750:on December 29, 2010
115:MD Helicopters, LLC.
31:MD Helicopters, LLC.
464:Russian Helicopters
276:MD Helicopters, Inc
195:, and produced the
151:Hughes Tool Company
32:
667:2007-12-28 at the
629:2013-01-02 at the
449:Airbus Helicopters
425:Hughes Helicopters
338:
293:consortium led by
243:Schweizer Aircraft
212:
178:Schweizer Aircraft
147:
30:
926:
925:
641:Frawley, Gerard:
469:Sikorsky Aircraft
435:Comparable major
227:Summa Corporation
223:McDonnell Douglas
163:McDonnell Douglas
155:Summa Corporation
127:McDonnell Douglas
125:until 1984, when
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16:(Redirected from
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395:MH-6 Little Bird
322:AH-6 Little Bird
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350:MD 500 Defender
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254:Bell Helicopter
186:Lockheed Martin
180:to produce the
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123:Hughes Aircraft
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849:External links
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732:on 2019-07-09.
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714:on 2006-11-28.
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592:on 2012-03-06.
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65:Mesa, Arizona
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836:. Retrieved
832:the original
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811:. Retrieved
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785:FlightGlobal
784:
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752:. Retrieved
748:the original
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690:. Retrieved
686:the original
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385:AH-64 Apache
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216:AH-64 Apache
213:
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61:Headquarters
45:Company type
918:MD Explorer
374:MD Explorer
280:Lynn Tilton
197:OH-6 Cayuse
174:TH-55 Osage
76:Helicopters
933:Categories
838:2024-02-28
813:2024-02-28
754:2007-02-25
692:2008-02-07
535:2006-12-07
475:References
318:Aerometals
239:Model 300C
231:subsidiary
182:Model 300C
117:(formerly
210:An AH-64A
201:Model 500
193:U.S. Army
165:in 1984.
92:Insurance
56:Aerospace
893:aircraft
665:Archived
627:Archived
419:See also
328:Products
291:creditor
261:spin off
72:Products
53:Industry
391:in 1998
303:debtors
137:History
97:Website
48:Private
913:MD 600
649:
610:
368:MD 600
360:MD 520
355:MD 530
345:MD 500
250:Boeing
131:Boeing
67:, U.S.
430:NOTAR
407:NOTAR
269:NOTAR
82:Owner
647:ISBN
608:ISBN
299:MBIA
297:and
106:.com
90:MBIA
88:and
241:to
225:by
102:www
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806:.
793:^
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245:.
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883:e
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816:.
787:.
757:.
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20:)
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