MD Helicopters MD 520N
MD Helicopters · USA · first flew 1990 · helicopter
The MD 520N is a light single-turbine helicopter that replaces the conventional tail rotor with the NOTAR anti-torque system, using directed airflow for yaw control.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.77 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- NOTAR no tail rotor
- Egg-shaped light cabin
- Slotted anti-torque tailboom
Its giveaway is the smooth tailboom with no tail rotor, ending in a slotted thruster rather than a spinning blade. The rounded cabin and skid gear mark it as an MD 500-family light helicopter.
Specifications
- The MD Helicopters MD 520N has a length of 7.77 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.33 m (27 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 249 km/h (155 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 pilot.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Derived from the MD 500/530 series, the NOTAR-equipped 520N first flew in 1990 and reached the market in the early 1990s. Blowing air through a slotted tailboom and a rotating thruster eliminated the exposed tail rotor, cutting noise and improving ground safety.
Variants
It sits alongside the larger MD 600N and the tail-rotor MD 530F within MD Helicopters' light range, sharing the same compact egg-shaped fuselage.
Where you'll see it
The NOTAR concept made the 520N attractive for police and law-enforcement work worldwide, and UK police and utility operators have flown MD NOTAR types for their low noise. The absence of a tail rotor also aids safe operation in confined urban sites.
Related aircraft
- MD Explorer
- MD 600N
- MD 500
- MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird
- Denel AH-2 Rooivalk
- Robinson R44
- AH-64D Apache
- Enstrom 480
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