MD Helicopters has signalled a final separation from former owner Boeing with the $11 million purchase of its own production facilities and moves to begin the outsourcing of remaining subcontracting work.
The new Dutch-owned manufacturer hopes to be able to double its output this year to 65 civil machines with the purchase of an additional 3,345m² (36,000ft²) of production area and 555m² of office space from Boeing. The company, which last year delivered 37 helicopters, now occupies 2,415m² of assembly area.
"We're cutting all ties with Boeing. Composite parts and wiring will all be outsourced, hopefully by the end of the fourth quarter of this year. Boeing decided to get out of parts manufacturing and made no bid," MD chief executive Henk Schaeken says.
MD Helicopters expects to begin placing contracts in "the next few weeks", with rival bids to supply Explorer tailbooms submitted.
Schaeken confirms that Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) of Turkey is looking for more work in addition to supplying Explorer fuselage sections. He says this is linked to a pending Turkish police requirement for 30 new twin-turboshaft and 10 single-engined helicopters for which the Explorer and MD500/600s are competing.
The transfer of fuselage assembly from de Havilland of Australia has limited Explorer production while TAI raises capacity. Production this year will be capped at 18 machines, half the maximum.
Source: Flight International
