An informed source tells me that rumors of the Loach's demise have been greatly exaggerated, and that the MD500 and MD530F survive.
Reading the rag (this month's AIN) again, the claim was actually made by MDHI's new owner. Given the rather tasty full length leather body suit she was wearing at Helitech, it may have been a simple case of restricted blood flow to the brain...
I/C