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#1
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Is MDHI going to make it?
MDHI (makers of the MD500, 600, 900 series) has been dormant for some time
and is on the brink of bankruptcy. Replacement parts are unavailable and they're delivering three or four helo's a year. Anyone care to speculate what's going to happen? They have refused two or three buy-outs in the past few months. Could they ever pull out with their reputation of late? -- Matt --------------------- Matthew W. Barrow Site-Fill Homes, LLC. Montrose, CO |
#2
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Matt,
Perhaps MDHI is pinning their hopes on that the Army picks the 500 (under contract with Boeing) for the ARH contract of 380 helicopters. CTR Matt Barrow wrote: MDHI (makers of the MD500, 600, 900 series) has been dormant for some time and is on the brink of bankruptcy. Replacement parts are unavailable and they're delivering three or four helo's a year. Anyone care to speculate what's going to happen? They have refused two or three buy-outs in the past few months. Could they ever pull out with their reputation of late? -- Matt --------------------- Matthew W. Barrow Site-Fill Homes, LLC. Montrose, CO |
#3
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Boeing may be their only hope. Orders are reportedly being cancelled.
That's a shame, and sad comment on the US helicopter industry. Horny Harry Stonecipher decided Boeing didn't want to be bothered with a light helicopter business; now the company has to buy Little Birds from a Dutch holding company for a US Army order. HW |
#4
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"CTR" wrote in message oups.com... Matt, Perhaps MDHI is pinning their hopes on that the Army picks the 500 (under contract with Boeing) for the ARH contract of 380 helicopters. CTR I doubt the military would just give them the contract if they're just going to sub-contract everything to Boeing...even if it is across the street. Matt Barrow wrote: MDHI (makers of the MD500, 600, 900 series) has been dormant for some time and is on the brink of bankruptcy. Replacement parts are unavailable and they're delivering three or four helo's a year. Anyone care to speculate what's going to happen? They have refused two or three buy-outs in the past few months. Could they ever pull out with their reputation of late? -- Matt --------------------- Matthew W. Barrow Site-Fill Homes, LLC. Montrose, CO |
#5
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"Helowriter" wrote in message ups.com... Boeing may be their only hope. Orders are reportedly being cancelled. That's a shame, and sad comment on the US helicopter industry. Horny Harry Stonecipher decided Boeing didn't want to be bothered with a light helicopter business; Boeing spun off MDHI in 1999, before Stonecipher was CEO if I recall correctly. At the time, the light helicopter business was pretty dead. Doesn't Bell make a suitable version of their 206B3? now the company has to buy Little Birds from a Dutch holding company for a US Army order. HW |
#6
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Bell is offering a re-engined 407 in the ARH competition.
Both Condit and Stonecipher were involved in the decision to dispose of all Boeing commercial helicopter and commercial tiltrotor (BA609) products. In the epitome of hypocrisy, the SEC refused Bells attempt to purchase the MD helicopter product line on the basis of reduced competition. This was done after they stamped their approval on Boeing merging with McDonnell Douglas. CTR |
#7
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"CTR" wrote in message oups.com... Bell is offering a re-engined 407 in the ARH competition. Both Condit and Stonecipher were involved in the decision to dispose of all Boeing commercial helicopter and commercial tiltrotor (BA609) products. Did they ever announce a reason? In the epitome of hypocrisy, the SEC refused Bells attempt to purchase the MD helicopter product line on the basis of reduced competition. This was done after they stamped their approval on Boeing merging with McDonnell Douglas. I don't think MD and Boeing were in direct competition at the time they merged, were they? MD was better technically, but their management was grossly incompetent. Boeing was much the opposite. Supposedly, when Boeing unloaded the light helicopter division, they unloaded some of their most incompetent managers over to MDHI. Even during boom years they (MDHI) were always behind. Expect new ownership/maagement REAL soon now. The 500 is such a neat aurcraft, I sure hope they survive. |
#8
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Actually, Stonecipher bragged about the move in an AvWeek interview.
He said he gave the civil helicopter guys three years to make money. When they didn't, he sold 'em. The explanation from Mesa at the time of the divestituture was the big-shots at Boeing did not want to waste their time selling one or two MD500s or MDExplorers piecemeal to police departments or hospitals. They saw themselves as global players moving 50 747s in a single order. A 20-year Apache or Chinook program was worthy of their efforts. Lost on such Captains of Industry is the fact that the civil and military sides of the helicopter business are closely connected. Suddenly, the Army wants 368 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters, and Boeing has no air vehicle. The decision also gave Eurocopter global market share it might not have otherwise gained. I do hope this works out because the MDHI product line is such a good one. I suspect a Little-Bird based ARH would be a better combat helicopter than an upgraded Bell 407. HW |
#9
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In the epitome of hypocrisy, the SEC refused Bells attempt to purchase the MD helicopter product line on the basis of reduced competition. This was done after they stamped their approval on Boeing merging with McDonnell Douglas. The SEC was asked by an Arizona Police Dept. to block Bell's purchase on the grounds that they 'assumed' that Bell was simply going to buy the MD line and then stop production -- ie. buy out the competition. I think it was the Phoenix Police Dept.. I bet they wish otherwise now. The Lubbock, TX Aerocare service has 3 MD Explorers that are slowly becoming unusable because of a lack of parts. For several months one or two of the ships have been cannabalized to keep the other in the air. There are also problems with a lack of factory support to upgrade the craft as certain parts show a much shorter life than predicted or expected. Bad combination to have 'under engineered' design areas and then a lack of parts for support. Gaylon http://www.aerocare-lubbock.com/ |
#10
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"Helowriter" wrote in message I do hope this works out because the MDHI product line is such a good one. I suspect a Little-Bird based ARH would be a better combat helicopter than an upgraded Bell 407. HW I don't think so. I only have a little time in them, but the 407 is a beast compared to MDs Ive flown . They also seem more survivable from my limited perspective. The MD's auto like a brick and have such a high CG that uneven terrain almost ensures a roll over. OTOH We landed on a rock in Donner Pass in a 500 at about 13,000ft once and I was super impressed with its ability to function well that high. Bart |
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