MD 500
MD Helicopters · United States · first flew 1963 · helicopter
The MD 500 is a family of light turbine helicopters descended from the Hughes Model 369 and the military OH-6 Cayuse, famed for its compact egg-shaped cabin.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.4 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Compact egg-shaped teardrop glass cabin pod
- Slim tapering tailboom with high-set stabiliser surfaces
- Tightly packed multi-blade main rotor on skids
The small rounded teardrop cabin, slim tailboom and tightly packed rotor identify it; NOTAR variants notably lack a conventional tail rotor.
Specifications
- The MD 500 has a length of 9.4 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.03 m (26 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 282 km/h (175 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The design first flew in 1963 as the OH-6 'Loach' prototype for the US Army light observation requirement, with the civil Model 500 following. Production passed through Hughes, McDonnell Douglas and MD Helicopters.
Variants
Civil and military models include the 500C, 500D, pointed-nose 500E and hot-and-high 530F, plus the NOTAR no-tail-rotor 520N and MD 600N derivatives.
Where you'll see it
It is widely used for utility work, electronic news-gathering, police aviation and light armed roles around the world. In the UK it appears mainly in police, training and private hands rather than military service.
Related aircraft
- MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird
- MD Helicopters MD 520N
- MD Explorer
- MD 600N
- Agusta / Westland AB 47G-3B-1
- Bell 207 Sioux Scout
- Fairchild-Hiller FH-1100
- FH-1100 Phoenix
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