MD600N info

[Choppie]

Our company is looking at buying a MD600N due to the speed and low operating costs. For our kind of work that is exactly what we need... speed.
Before I go out and test fly the only one in our country I would like to know from other pilots how does the NOTAR work and how does it fly. I've read up on all the aero-d involved and understand that part. But how does the NOTAR handle in straight and level and hovering. Also in extreme maneuvers like steep slow turns.
Any advice from anyone who has flown one would be well appreciated.

[JTobias]

I know it autorotates at about 3500 per minute!!!

[mfriskel]

Come on now- that is just till the flare! :)

[Stan Switek]

You might want to talk to someone at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Air Unit. They flew MD600's at one time & got rid of them in a very short period of time. I heard lots unhappiness from the guys who flew them. One of the complaints was a very high rate of decent in autorotation. CG issues. It's been some time so I forget all the complaints now. I remember them being in the hangar quite a bit too.

[Buitenzorg]

Choppie,

I see you're in South Africa, I guess that means high density altitudes, yes? The US Border Patrol at one time had a fleet of MD600s and got rid of them (replaced them with AS350B2s) because of their woeful high DA performance. This was about 8 years ago IIRC.

Edited for spelling.

[RVDT]

Buy both of Ray Prouty's Helicopter Aerodynamics books.

Read carefully.

After reading, observe 600N with new found knowledge. Don't bother about the NOTAR part just observe the rest of it.

Use Wikipedia - search "Edsel". Compare.

"The aim was right, but the target moved"


I can speak with a little authority, having flown and maintained about the second one in service.