Purpose-Built, Combat-Relevant Platform Feels Like Real Thing

MD Helicopters announced the unveiling of its MD  530F, a new training aircraft to directly reflect the demands of the U.S. Army’s Flight School Next vision for the next generation of Army Aviation pilots.

Beyond being simply a commercial adaptation, its handling characteristics are closely similar to those of the UH-50M Black Hawk, AH-64E Apache, and CH-47F Chinook. This is due in large part to the MD 350F’s fully articulated five-blade rotor system.

Because of its handling, students can train in a platform that feels like the real thing from the beginning, according  to the company. The aircraft’s maneuverability direct control response, and visibility offer a training environment that ensures rapid readiness as well as safety.

The aircraft’s hydraulics-free flight controls, energy-absorbing fuselage, and crash-resistant fuel system are engineered to provide optimum protection to its crew.

The MD 530F is based on the versatile and reliable 500 series airframe that goes back to the Hughes 500, and its military variants have steadily advanced and matured over decades of real-world combat experience.

Manufactured in Mesa, Arizona, the MD 530F is powered by a Rolls-Royce C30 engine that delivers 650 shp and does very well inhigh-altitude, high-temperature environments. It has dual controls in an NVG-compatible cockpit and a durable architecture the has minimal downtime and lower lifecycle costs.

Ryan Weeks, President & CEO at MD Helicopters said, “The Army is investing in its future warfighters, and that means delivering training tools that truly reflect operational reality. The MD 530F is not just ready for that mission—it was built for it.”

FMI:  www.mdhelicopters.com/