MD Helicopters MD 600
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| MD 600N | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| MD 600N (Helicopters of America), with NOTAR | |
| Type | Light utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems MD Helicopters, Inc. |
| Primary user | US Border Patrol |
| Developed from | MD Helicopters MD 500 |
The MD Helicopters MD 600N is a light utility civilian helicopter. It is a stretched eight-seat development of the five-seat MD 520N helicopter.
Contents |
[edit] History
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MD Helicopters since 1999) first announced it was developing a stretched MD 520N in late 1994, at that time designated the MD 630N.[1] The prototype, a modified MD 530F, had made its first flight on November 22 1994. McDonnell Douglas gave the go-ahead for the production aircraft, redesignated the MD 600N, in March 1995.
McDonnell Douglas stretched the MD 520N fuselage by inserting a plug aft of the cockpit/cabin bulkhead and stretching the NOTAR tail boom. The larger fuselage allows for an extra (middle) row of seats. Other differences compared with the MD 520N include a new six blade main rotor (the MD 520N has a five blade unit) and a more powerful Allison (now Rolls-Royce) 250 turboshaft.
The prototype was modified to MD 60ON standard with a production standard engine and tail boom and flew in November 1995, followed the next month by the first MD 60ON production prototype.[1] Certification was awarded on May 15 1997, and deliveries began that June.
Following the 1997 Boeing/McDonnell Douglas' merger, Boeing sold the former MD civil helicopter lines to Netherlands-based RDM Holdings in early 1999.[1]
[edit] NOTAR
The NOTAR no-tail-rotor version is popular with law enforcement because of its very low noise levels. Instead of an anti-torque tail rotor, a fan exhaust is directed through slots in the tail boom, using the Coanda effect to counteract the torque of the main rotor, and out of a controllable thruster at the end of the tail boom for yaw control
[edit] Operators
US Border Patrol
[edit] Specifications (MD 600N)
This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.Data from The International Directiory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2
- Capacity: 8 total
- Length: 35 ft 5 in (11.79 m)
- Rotor diameter: 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m)
- Height: 8 ft 9 in (2.65 m)
- Disc area: 594.0 sq ft (55.2 sq m)
- Empty weight: 2,100 lbs (952 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 4,100 lbs (1,860 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× One Allison 250-C47 Turboshaft, 600 hp (447 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 152 knots (175 mph, 282 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 135 knots (mph, 249 km/h)
- Range: miles (429 km)
- Service ceiling: 18,700 ft (m)
- Rate of climb: 2070 ft/min (m/s)
[edit] Popular culture
The MD 600N is seen in the James Bond film Die Another Day.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Frawley, Gerard: The International Directiory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004, page 156. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7
