MD Helicopters Explorer

Type (Muster)
Light multi-purpose turbine helicopter (leichter Mehrzweckhubschrauber)

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
MD Helicopters Inc.
5000 East McDowell Road
Mesa, Arizona 85215-9797
USA

Phone: 001-480/891-8014
Fax: 001-480/891-8018

General data (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1
Passengers (Passagiere): up to 7

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206E turboshafts
Power (Leistung): 545 kW (732) shp for 2,5 minutes emergency, 477 kW (640 shp) for take-off and 485 kW (652 shp) maximum continuous. Transmission rated at 2 x 550 shp or at 680 shp for one engine in an emergency

Noise: 86,2 EPNdB at take-off, 83,6 EPNdB at level flyoveer and 90,7 EPNdB at approach/land

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Overall length, rotors turning (Länge über drehende Rotoren): 11,84 m
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 9,86 m
Height (Höhe): 3,66 m
Width over landing gear (Breite): 2,23 m
Span over tail (Leitwerksspannweite): 2,84 m
Rotor diameter (Rotordurchmesser): 10,34 m
Main rotor disk area (Rotorkreisfläche): 83,6 sq m

Main cabin length (Länge der Kabine): 1,91 m
Maximum cabin height (max. Kabinenhöhe): 1,24 m
Max. cabin width (max. Kabinenbreite): 1,45 m
Useful cabin area, including rear baggage hold (Kabinenfläche): 3,81 sq m
Cabin volume, including rear baggage hold (Kabinenvolumen): 4,89 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight, standard (Leermasse): 1543 kg
Useful load (Nutzlast): 726 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 489 kg
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 2835 kg or 3130 kg with external payloads

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (höchstzulässige Geschwindigkeit): 259 km/h
Maximum cruise speed (Max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 252 km/h
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 5944 m
Hover ceiling (Schwebeflughöhe)
- out of ground effect (ohne Bodeneffekt, ISA): 2743 m or 1539 m at ISA + 20 deg C
- in ground effect (im Bodeneffekt): 3353 m or 2073 m at ISA + 20 deg C
Maximum Range (Reichweite): 546 km with full fuel and no reserves
Endurance (Flugdauer): 3,4 h with full fuel and no reserves

Costs (Kosten)
The Explorer was available for 3,1 million US-Dollars in early 2000, after MD Helicopters had cut the basic price to 2,995 million US-Dollars in 1999. Under Boeing ownership, the Explorer sold at 3,5 million US-Dollars in 1997.
Direct operating costs were estimated at 369 US-Dollars in 1999.

Customers (Kunden)
By the beginning of 2000, 57 Explorers were in service worldwide. This is up from more than 30 by the beginning of 1999, of which four 902s were delivered in 1998. Customers for the MD 902 version of the Explorer include:

Tomen Aerospace (Japan. First helicopter, used for electronic news gathering)
Police Aviation Services (United Kingdom, used as a police and air medical aircraft)
Lower Saxony State Police(Germany. Operates three Explorers. First delivery on 27. September 1999)
Baden-Wurttemberg State Police (Germany. Has ordered three in January 2000, with two options. Delivery will be in 2001)
Air Lloyd (Germany. Ordered one in January 2000 for delivery in February)
Asahi Shimbun Press (Japan. Ordered one in early 2000)
Freedom Explorer B.V. (Netherlands. Signed for one in January 2000)
Allegheny General Hospital (has four)
Mexican Navy (four delivered in late 1999 for operations out of Acapulco)

According to AIA statistics, Explorer deliveries (all versions) were 19 in 1999, 4 in 1998, 1 in 1997, 15 in 1996, 12 in 1995 and 2 in 1994.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Bell Model 427
Eurocopter EC 135

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The MD 902 (now simply called the MD Explorer) was announced in September 1996 as an enhanced version of the MD 900, incorporating

more powerful PW 206E engines
upgraded transmission
improved integrated instrument display system software
additional fire protection in the upper deck engine compartment
new fuel system

The enhanced performance includes 8 percent greater range and 4 percent more endurance, plus the ability to carry 115 kg more payload than the original MD Explorer.

History (Geschichte)
The MD 900 was first announced by McDonnell Douglas as the MDX in February 1988, but formal launch was not given before January 1989. The first flight occured on 18 December 1982, with the second helicopter starting its tests on 17 September 1993 and the third on 16 December 1993. The first production/demonstration Explorer made its maiden flight on 3 August 1994.
FAA certification was achieved on 2 December 1994, with the first delivery a few days later on 16 December. European JAA approval followed in July 1996. In January 1997, FAA approval for single pilot IFR operations was obtained.
In September 1996, McDonnell Douglas announced the MD 902, an enhanced version with PW206E engines and other improvements. First flight of this variant was on 5 September 1997. FAA certification was achieved on 11. February 1998, with JAA approval following in July 1998.
Deliveries of the improved Explorer in its MD 902 configuration startet in May 1998 to Tomen Aerospace, of Japan, which uses the aircraft in electronic news gathering. The second 902-configured aircraft was delivered in June 1998 to Police Aviation Services, of the United Kingdom, which placed the aircraft in service for a police and air medical duties.
In the meantime, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas had merged and were going through a restructuring exercise. After a year-long search for potential buyers and US Government rejection of a sale to Bell, Boeing finally completed the disposal of its civil helicopter business on 16. February 1999. Newly formed MD Helicopters took over ownership of the single and twin-engined commercial products, including the MD Explorer. The company is an indirect subsidiary of RDM Holding, a European-based industrial group.
Boeing will provide technical support for up to five years and at first continued to manufacture some parts. Assembly continued at the Boeing facilities at Falcon Field in Mesa. These were leased by MD Helicopters, which plans to buy them in 2000. It is also foreseen to re-arrange many of the subcontracts for parts to bring down prices. Fuselage manufacture has already moved from Australia to Turkey.
By the beginning of 2000, a fleet of 57 MD Explorers had flown nearly 40000 hours in service.

Last updated 14. March 2000

FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany