MD Helicopters MD 500: Difference between revisions
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|type of prop= [[Turboshaft]] |
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|power main= 650 hp |
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|power alt= 485 kW |
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Revision as of 17:10, 17 February 2013
| Hughes/MD 500 series | |
|---|---|
| |
| An MD 500E | |
| Role | Light utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Hughes Helicopters McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems MD Helicopters, Inc. |
| Introduction | 1982 |
| Status | Active in production |
| Primary users | Republic of Korea Army Korean People's Air Force Japan Ground Self Defense Force Various law enforcement agencies |
| Produced | 1976-present |
| Number built | 4700 [1] |
| Developed from | OH-6 Cayuse |
| Variants | MD 500 Defender MD Helicopters MD 600 |
The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach. The series currently includes the MD 500E, MD 520N, and MD 530F.
Design and development
The successful Hughes 500/MD 500 series began life in response to a US Army requirement for a light observation helicopter.[2] Hughes' Model 369 won the contest against competition from Bell and Hiller. The OH-6 Cayuse first flew in February 1963.
The 500 series design features shock-absorbing landing skid struts, a turboshaft engine mounted at a 45-degree angle toward the rear of the cabin pod, a fuel tank cell under the floor and the battery in the nose. The engine exhaust port is located at the end of the cabin pod underneath the tailboom. It has a short-diameter main rotor system and a short tail, giving it an agile control response and is less susceptible to weather-cocking.
Hughes won the US Army's LOH contest with its OH-6 helicopter by submitting a very low and aggressive price per airframe (without an engine). Due to rising prices, the US Army later re-opened the contest, where Hughes offered the machine at a more realistic price, but was undercut by the redesigned Bell OH-58 Kiowa (military JetRanger). OH-6 helicopters were still ordered by the US Army, though at a much reduced number.
Hughes/MD 500
Prior to the OH-6's first flight, Hughes announced it was developing a civil version, to be marketed as the Hughes 500, available in basic five and seven seat configurations.[2] A utility version with a more powerful engine was offered as the 500U (later called the 500C).
The improved Hughes 500D became the primary model in 1976, with a more powerful engine, a T-tail, and new five-blade main rotor; a four-blade tail rotor was optional.[2] The 500D was replaced by the 500E from 1982 with a pointed nose and various interior improvements such as greater head and leg room. The 530F was a more powerful version of the 500E optimized for hot and high work.
McDonnell Douglas acquired Hughes Helicopters in January 1984, and from August 1985 the 500E and 530F were built as the MD 500E and MD 530F Lifter.[2] Following the 1997 Boeing/McDonnell Douglas merger, Boeing sold the former MD civil helicopter lines to MD Helicopters in early 1999.
Military variants are marketed under the MD 500 Defender name.
MD 520N
The MD 520N introduced a revolutionary advance in helicopter design being dispensed with a conventional anti-torque tail rotor in favor of the Hughes/McDonnell Douglas developed NOTAR system.[2] Exhaust from a fan is directed through slots in the tail boom, using the Coandă effect to counteract the torque of the main rotor, and a controllable thruster at the end of the tail boom is used for yaw control.
McDonnell Douglas originally intended to develop the standard MD 520N alongside the more powerful hot and high optimized MD 530N (both were launched in January 1989 and were based on the conventional MD 500E). The MD 530N was the first to fly, on December 29, 1989, the MD 520N first flew on May 1, 1990. Development of the MD 530N was suspended when McDonnell Douglas decided that the MD 520N met most customer requirements for the 530N. Certification for the MD 520N was awarded on September 13, 1991, and the first was delivered on December 31 that year.
In 2000, MD Helicopters announced enhancements to the MD 520N including an improved RR 250-C20R+ engine with 3-5% more power for better performance on warm days, and, with changes to the diffuser and fan rigging, increased range.
Variants
- 369
- Military prototype designated YOH-6A.
- 369A
- Military production designated OH-6.
- MD 500C (369H)
- Improved five-seat commercial variant powered by an Allison 250-C18B rated at 317 shp (236 kW), Certified in 1966.
- MD 500M Defender (369HM)
- Military export version as the MD 500 Defender, Certified in 1968.
- MD 500C (369HS)
- Improved four-seat commercial variant by an Allison 250-C20 rated at 400 shp (298 kW), Certified in 1969.
- MD 500C (369HE)
- A 369HS with higher standard interior fittings, Certified in 1969.
- MD 500D (369D)
- New commercial version from 1976 powered by an Alison 250-C20B rated at 420 shp (313 kW), Certified in 1976.
- MD 500E (369E)
- Executive version of the 500D with recontoured nose, Certified in 1982.
- KH-500E
- Japanese-version of the 500E. Licensed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries.[3]
- NH-500E
- Italian-built version of the 500E. Licensed by Breda Nardi before merging with Agusta.[1]
- MD 530F (369F)
- Hot and high version of the 500E powered by an Allison 250-C30B rated at 650 shp (485 kW), certififed in 1985.
- MD 520N
- NOTAR version of the 500E, certified in 1991.
- Unmanned Little Bird Demonstrator
-
- A civilian 530F modified by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems to develop UAV technologies for both civilian and military applications.[4]
Military
Military export version of the 500 have been marketed under the Defender name, and include the 500M, 500MD, 500MG, and 530MG. Not all MD 500s used by military forces are part of the Defender family.
Operators
Military operators
- Afghan Air Force 6 MD 530F with option for additional 50
- Finnish Army 12 helicopters, 7 still in use
- 8, 3 Hughes 530F and 5 Hughes 500E helicopters
- Japan Ground Self Defense Force, numerous "Little Birds" used on "Pink Teams" in conjunction with AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopters. Training is conducted at JGSDF Akeno near Nagoya. Hughes 500 series aircraft are an integral part of the JGSDF army air force and are stationed on various JGSDF installations throughout the country.
- Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, five MD 500Es for Trainer
- Korean People's Air Force 87 in service
- Republic of Korea Army 257 in service
- Servicio Nacional Aeronaval
- Philippine Air Force 15 in service
- Republic of China Navy: 10 500MD/ASW in service with the 501st Helicopter Squadron (Light)
- US Army: operates the MH-6 Little Bird (also known as Killer Egg), and its attack variant AH-6, which are specially adapted unmarked Hughes/MD 500D helicopters currently used the Army today.
Former Military operators
- Argentine Coast Guard (retired 1988) [6]
- 4 helicopters, all retired
- Finnish Air Force former operator
Civil operators
The MD 500 is widely operated by private individuals, companies and law enforcement agencies around the world.
- Used by Xe Services LLC formerly Blackwater USA, a Private Military Security Firm
- San Diego County Sheriff's Department
- Houston Police Department
- Riverside Police Department: The Riverside Police Department uses 2 MD 500E's and 2 Hughes/MD 500D's.[8]
- Kansas City, Missouri Police Department
- Huntington Beach Police Department HBPD has 3 of them.
- Puerto Rico Police Department: The PRPD use the MD 500E and MD 520N NOTAR for FURA.
- Columbus Police
- Cleveland Division of Police
- Oakland Police Department
- Oklahoma City Police Department
- The helicopter is also used by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society based in the USA, launched from the MY Steve Irwin
Operational Use
El Salvador
During the Salvadoran Civil War, the Salvadoran Air Force operated six MD.500Ds, which were supplemented later by 9 MD.500E's supplied by the United States in 1983. These were used as gunships, armed with 7.62mm Miniguns and unguided rockets, as well as being used for reconnaissance and liaison duties. One MD.500D and two MD.500Es were lost to SA-7 missiles in 1989 and 1990. By the end of the conflict, only 1 MD.500D and 6 MD.500Es were in operational condition.[9]
In popular culture
- The 500D variant was featured, wildly bedecked with diagonal stripes of various colors, in the '80s television series Magnum, P.I., the personal mount of show character "T.C.".
- In almost every episode of the 1980s TV-series Airwolf the namesake helicopter faces two MD-500D armed with rocket pods as opponents in a final showdown.
- One 500C made a flying appearance at the end of rock musician Steve Miller's video for his 1986 hit I Want To Make The World Turn Around. A dual exposure shot from inside shows two helicopters hovering outside, moving slowly in front of the main window of Tacoma, Washington's Union Station; finally, one descends and hovers near the entrance momentarily and then climbs away.
Specifications
Model 500C
Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 5 total
Performance
Model 500E
Data from "MD Helicopters web site" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 5 total
Performance
MD 530F
Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 5 total
Performance
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
- ^ a b The MD Helicopters MD-500/530. Retrieved on January 16, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Frawley, Gerard: The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004, page 155. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7
- ^ MD Helicopters MD 500/530 (United States), Helicopters in service – Rotary-wing – Civil/military.
- ^ "Boeing Manned/Unmanned Light Helicopter Makes First Flight", Boeing news release, October 9, 2006, accessed August 27, 2008
- ^ Global Security.org
- ^ LAMilitary.org
- ^ El Tiempo: La Policía del Azuay recibe hoy helicóptero (spanish)
- ^ Aviation Division
- ^ Cooper, Tom. "El Salvador, 1980-1992". ACIG.org. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
External links
