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

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

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

"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

"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

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

"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.

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

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/

"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