Originally Posted by
IFMU
You mean the Firescout. They also bought Schweizer for: the light helicopter line, to use as a rapid prototyping center, and to have political representation in New York state. Later, they added the Hawkworks to complete UH60 L, M, and I models for foreign military customers.
Don't forget all the X2 work that was done in Elmira in the $15 million upgraded completions/Hawk Works in 2007....only for the the entire Schweizer facility to be unceremoniously shuttered in 2012. Recall this was just after closing the other facility on the other side of the airport in 2010, with Sikorsky adamantly maintaining their commitment to the area. Much of the work was shuffled up to Keystone in beautiful Coatesville (boy, I do not miss that place).
The whole Schweizer saga is a pretty sad story.