MD Helicopters MD 600

The MD Helicopters MD 600N is a light utility civilian helicopter designed in the United States. It is a stretched eight-seat development of the five-seat MD 520N helicopter.

MD 600N
A MD 600N with NOTAR
Role Light utility helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems
MD Helicopters
First flight 22 November 1994
Status In service
Primary user United States Border Patrol
Produced 1995–present
Unit cost
US$2.9M[1]
Developed from MD Helicopters MD 500

Design and development

McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MD Helicopters since 1999) first announced it was developing a stretched MD 520N in late 1994, at that time designated the MD 630N.[2] The prototype, a modified MD 530F, had made its first flight on November 22, 1994. McDonnell Douglas gave the go-ahead for the production aircraft, redesignated the MD 600N, in March 1995.

McDonnell Douglas stretched the MD 520N fuselage by inserting a plug aft of the cockpit/cabin bulkhead and stretching the NOTAR tail boom. The larger fuselage allows for an extra (middle) row of seats. Other differences compared with the MD 520N include a new six blade main rotor (the MD 520N has a five blade unit) and an uprated Allison (now Rolls-Royce) Model 250 turboshaft.

The prototype was modified to MD 600N standard with a production standard engine and tail boom and flew in November 1995, followed the next month by the first MD 600N production prototype.[2] Certification was awarded on May 15, 1997, and deliveries began that June.

Following the 1997 Boeing/McDonnell Douglas' merger, Boeing sold the former MD civil helicopter lines to Netherlands-based RDM Holdings in early 1999.[2]

On March 8, 2017, MD Helicopters unveiled a concept variant known as the MD 6XX.[3] Unlike the MD 600, the MD 6XX utilizes a traditional tail rotor and shares its T-tail design with the smaller MD 500/530F. It is currently in development, and certification is expected to be awarded in 2020.[4]

Operators


 Bangladesh
 Costa Rica
 Turkey
  • General Directorate of Security[7]
 United States

Specifications (MD 600N)

Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003–2004[2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1–2
  • Capacity: 8 total
  • Length: 35 ft 5 in (11.79 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
  • Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.65 m)
  • Disc area: 594.0 sq ft (55.2 m²)
  • Empty weight: 2,100 lb (952 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 4,100 lb (1,860 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Allison Model 250-C47 Turboshaft, 600 hp (447 kW)

Performance

gollark: Why? You could simulate mechanical faults and train the system on them.
gollark: Once again, I would be fine with that if their autopilot was good, which it isn't.
gollark: We could probably have a lot more automated stuff now if it wasn't for the difficulty of coordinating everyone on redesigning things at the same time.
gollark: ALL PROBLEMS can be solved with sufficient computer.
gollark: Wrong.

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References
  1. Conklin & de Decker. "MD 600N". Business Jet Traveller.
  2. Frawley, Gerard: The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003–2004, page 156. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
  3. Johnson, Oliver. "MD unveils MD 6XX concept helicopter". Vertical Magazine. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  4. Trimble, Stephen (2018-02-28). "MD Helicopters delays MD6XX certification to 2020". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  5. http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/02/12/6-injured-in-nganj-copter-crash
  6. "Moderno helicóptero policial fue presentado por Seguridad Pública". La Nacion. Archived from the original on 2012-12-22. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  7. "MD Helicopters Proudly Presents Aircraft to Turkish National Police". helitorque.com. Retrieved 21 February 2013.
  8. "US Customs & Border Protection puts MD600 fleet into desert storage". helihub.com. Retrieved 24 February 2013.

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