After Reinforcing Their Foundations, Manufacturer Begins to Look Forward

MD Helicopters, manufacturers of the legendary MD 500 and MH-6 Little Bird, have shaken up their executive leadership with a new President, Ryan Weeks, with Brad Pedersen remaining in position as Chief Executive Officer.

That helps organize some of the responsibilities in the company, putting Weeks on the operations side of things, ensuring everything goes smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Pedersen will remain as CEO, but put his attention towards "strategic initiatives with the Board of Directors."

The change follows a few years of tireless efforts for MD Helicopters to strengthen its footing amid a topsy-turvy global economy - or more specifically, securing its foundation after a 2022 Chapter 11 filing. The brand had bounced from one end of the industry to the other, starting off as Hughes, then spending time under the McDonnell Douglas and Boeing brands before spinning off to private capital in 2005.

Life is rough for the helicopter industry, but MD has some legendary designs in its portfolio, and a loyal fleet of global operators to support. That's been the aim of MD Helicopters' recent efforts, as they sought to bolster their spares volume, repair, and overhaul capabilities. AOG support has been improved, too, with MD's spare parts inventory standing taller than ever:

Today, 95% of parts fulfillment is done in 48 hours, plucking out the needful from thousands of specific part numbers. MD says that its global footprint has similarly improved, too, with 40 members around the world. Now, fleet upgrades will be the order of the day, with the "Super N", "Super D", and "Super E" in the works with an expected release date of 2025.

“MD Helicopters continues to be deeply committed to strengthening our support for our customers around the world, " said Board Chairman, Ed Dolanski. “In a short two years, Ryan and Brad have drastically improved our Aftermarket Operations and we aim to continue to ensure the fielded fleet is the strongest it’s ever been.”

“I am honored for the opportunity to build upon the improvements we made under Brad’s leadership over the past 21 months. We still have a lot of room for improvement, but our network and operators are saying MDH is making progress.” said Weeks who previously held the position of vice president, aftermarket service and support.

FMI: www.mdhelicopters.com