Merajul Islam at 16:37, 14 January 2022

2022-01-14T16:37:21Z

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{{short description|American aerospace manufacturer}}
{{Infobox company
|name = MD Helicopters, Inc.
|logo =
|type = Private
|genre =
|foundation =
|founder =
|location_city =
|location_country =
|location = [[Mesa, Arizona]], U.S.
|industry = Aerospace
|products = [[Helicopters]]
|revenue =
|operating_income =
|net_income =
|num_employees =
|owner = [[Patriarch Partners]], LLC
|subsid =
|homepage = {{URL|https://www.mdhelicopters.com}}
|footnotes =
}}

'''MD Helicopters, Inc.''' (formerly '''McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems''') is an American aerospace manufacturer. It produces light utility helicopters for commercial and military use. The company was a subsidiary of [[Hughes Aircraft Company|Hughes Aircraft]] until 1984, when [[McDonnell Douglas]] acquired it and renamed it McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. It later became MD Helicopters in the late 1990s when McDonnell Douglas merged with [[Boeing]].

==History==
[[File:Schweitzer 300CB Side View.jpg|thumb|right|Schweizer 300CB, which began as the Hughes Model 269 in the 1950s.]]

The company began in 1947 as a unit of Hughes Aircraft, then was part of the [[Hughes Tool Company]] after 1955.<ref name="Centennial">{{cite web|last=Rumerman|first=Judy|title=The Hughes Companies|work=|publisher=U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission|url=http://www.centennialofflight.net/essay/Aerospace/Hughes/Aero44.htm}}</ref> It became the helicopter division of Hughes' [[Summa Corporation]] in 1972,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Hughes Tool Co. ... Looking at Rotors |work=Post-War Developments: 1946-1956 |publisher=Boeing |url=http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/n052hug.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110309231023/http://www.boeing.com/history/narrative/n052hug.html |archivedate=2011-03-09 }}</ref> and was finally reformed as [[Hughes Helicopters|Hughes Helicopters, Inc.]] in 1981. However, throughout its history, the company was informally known as Hughes Helicopters.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}}  The company was sold to [[McDonnell Douglas]] in 1984.

Hughes Helicopters produced three major designs during its 37-year history. The [[Sikorsky S-300|Model 269/300]] was Hughes' first successful helicopter design.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hughes Model 269A (TH55) Osage |publisher=SpruceGoose.org |url=http://www.sprucegoose.org/aircraft_artifacts/Aircraft/PostWarYears/269A.htm |access-date=2006-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221172641/http://www.sprucegoose.org/aircraft_artifacts/Aircraft/PostWarYears/269A.htm |archive-date=2008-12-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Built in 1956, and entering production in 1957, it would eventually become part of the Army inventory as a primary trainer, designated [[Sikorsky S-300|TH-55 Osage]]. In [[1983 in aviation|1983]], the company licensed [[Schweizer Aircraft]] to produce the [[Schweizer 300|Model 300C]]. Schweizer was eventually purchased by Sikorsky Aircraft, which is itself now a division of [[Lockheed Martin]].

In May [[1965 in aviation|1965]], the company won the contract for a new observation helicopter for the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]], and produced the [[OH-6 Cayuse]] (Hughes Model 369).<ref name="boeing-1">{{cite web|title=The Boeing Logbook: 1964-1970 |publisher=Boeing |url=http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron10.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524111615/http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron10.html |archivedate=2011-05-24 }}</ref> The OH-6 was later developed into the civilian [[MD Helicopters MD 500|Model 500]], variants of which remain in production to this day.

In 1975, the company won the contract for the [[AH-64 Apache]] attack helicopter.<ref name="boeing-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron11.html |title=The Boeing Logbook: 1971-1976 |publisher=Boeing |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230021317/http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron11.html |archivedate=2008-12-30 }}</ref> By December 1981, six AH-64A prototypes had been built and the Army had awarded a production contract to the company.<ref name="boeing-3">{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron12.html |title=The Boeing Logbook: 1977-1982 |publisher=Boeing |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306204518/http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron12.html |archivedate=2012-03-06 }}</ref> Production would reach more than 1,100 by 2005.

In January [[1984 in aviation|1984]], Hughes Helicopters, Inc. was sold to [[McDonnell Douglas]] by [[Summa Corporation]]. McDonnell Douglas paid $470 million for the company and made it a [[subsidiary]] with the name ''McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems'' in August 1984.<ref>Richardson, Doug and Lindsay Peacock. ''Combat Aircraft AH-64'', pp. 14–15. London: Salamander Books, 1992. {{ISBN|0-86101-675-0}}.</ref> In [[1986 in aviation|1986]], McDonnell Douglas sold all the rights to the [[Schweizer (Hughes) 300|Model 300C]] to [[Schweizer Aircraft]].

[[File:AH-64A on FOB Speicher.jpg|thumb|left|An AH-64A]]

On August 1, [[1997 in aviation|1997]], McDonnell Douglas merged with [[Boeing]],<ref>[http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron16.html The Boeing Logbook: 1997-2001] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102173045/http://www.boeing.com/history/chronology/chron16.html |date=2013-01-02 }}</ref> but Boeing's plans to sell the civilian helicopter line to [[Bell Helicopter]] in 1998 were thwarted by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).<ref name="Frawley Civil">Frawley, Gerard: ''The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004'', p. 155. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. {{ISBN|1-875671-58-7}}</ref>

In [[1999 in aviation|1999]], Boeing completed the sale of the civilian line of helicopters to ''MD Helicopter Holdings Inc.'', 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 [[NOTAR]] aircraft that originated with Hughes Helicopters Inc. Boeing maintained the AH-64 line of helicopters and rights to the NOTAR system.<ref>[http://www.boeing.com/ids/news/1999/news_release_990219o.htm Boeing Announces Sale of its Light Helicopter Product Lines] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228222449/http://www.boeing.com/ids/news/1999/news_release_990219o.htm |date=2007-12-28 }}, Boeing, 1999-02-19.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1999/news_release_990119n.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2008-02-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213053202/http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1999/news_release_990119n.htm |archivedate=2008-02-13 }}. Boeing News Release</ref>

After suffering dismal commercial performance, the company was purchased in [[2005 in aviation|2005]] by Patriarch Partners, LLC, an investment fund.<ref name="boeing-4">{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/history/mdc/cayuse.htm|title=OH-6 Cayuse/Hughes 500 Helicopter|publisher=Boeing|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061128165011/http://www.boeing.com/history/mdc/cayuse.htm|archivedate=2006-11-28}}</ref> The company was recapitalized as an independent company, ''MD Helicopters, Inc''.<ref name="heli-1">{{cite web |url=http://www.helitorque.com/portal/modules.php?name=News |title=Interesting News from MD Helicopters |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5Mv1AJOlF?url=http://www.helitorque.com/portal/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=40 |archivedate=2007-02-25 }}</ref> MD Helicopters is based in Mesa, Arizona.<ref name="MDHI">{{cite web|url=http://www.mdhelicopters.com/popup.php?sid=01.01.04 |title=Company Background Information |publisher=MD Helicopters |accessdate=2007-02-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5Mv04XWfl?url=http://www.mdhelicopters.com/popup.php?sid=01.01.04 |archivedate=February 25, 2007 }}</ref> [[Lynn Tilton]], 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.<ref>[https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2020-03-27/tilton-out-md-helicopters Tilton Out at MD Helicopters]</ref>

==Products==
[[File:Polizei BW MD 902 D-HBWC STR.jpg|thumb|right|MD 902 (German police)]]

(Under both McDonnell Douglas and MD Helicopters)
* [[MD Helicopters MD 500|MD 500]]
** [[McDonnell Douglas MD 500 Defender|MD 500 Defender]]
** [[MD Helicopters MD 500|MD 520]]
** [[MD Helicopters MD 500|MD 530]]
* [[MD Helicopters MD 600|MD 600]]
* [[MD Helicopters MD Explorer|MD Explorer]]

(Under McDonnell Douglas only)
* [[AH-64 Apache]] - Product line transferred to [[Boeing Defense, Space & Security]] in 1998
* [[MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird|MH-6 Little Bird]] - later under [[Boeing Rotorcraft Systems]] and now as Vertical Lift division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security

==See also==
* [[Hughes Helicopters]]
* [[NOTAR]]
Comparable major [[helicopter manufacturer]]s:
* [[AgustaWestland]]
* [[Airbus Helicopters]]
* [[Bell Helicopter]]
* [[Boeing Rotorcraft Systems]]
* [[Russian Helicopters]]
* [[Sikorsky Aircraft]]

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mdhelicopters.com MD Helicopters official site]

{{MD Helicopters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Md Helicopters}}
[[Category:Helicopter manufacturers of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Arizona]]

MD Helicopters - Revision history

Merajul Islam at 16:37, 14 January 2022