What's happening at MD Helicopters?
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: At Work
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
500 parts with PMA sources are abundant. Parts from MD are very difficult. Verticals do not exist, rotor heads are one year out, structural pieces not under PMA or already in md inventory do not exist and are not being made. Main and tail rotor blades are abundant, plenty of availability of main and tail rotor transmissions. There are a ton of maintainers who have abundant knowledge of the aircraft and can maintain or rebuild them without the help of the factory.
The good news is that more and more parts are undergoing PMA and over time most all parts will be available. With 3,000 ships out there, there is a spares business and most of the parts are simple enough that they can be brought under PMA. The problem for MD is that the longer they let this drag out, the more parts will come under PMA which naturally effects their business model.
The good news is that more and more parts are undergoing PMA and over time most all parts will be available. With 3,000 ships out there, there is a spares business and most of the parts are simple enough that they can be brought under PMA. The problem for MD is that the longer they let this drag out, the more parts will come under PMA which naturally effects their business model.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ColdWet&Windy
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On re-reading Neds? interview with the new owner I noticed that there wasn't really any emphasis on the LUH program over in the US. Do posters think that MD can survive without this order with only a trickle of deliveries going out and all that Patriarch $$ going in? Also, seemingly no further single engine production if Kaman are to be believed. Who will support the 2000+ ships out there?
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: At Work
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Who really knows the real story. There appears to be no replacement named at this time. My belief is that Partiarch is finding that the problems were much greater than their due diligence uncovered and that it should have been run through a bankruptcy to make it a viable financial investment. All of the other industry and financial institutions appear to have figured this out. You wonder if Lynn Tilton had a time machine, would she press the back button and take a pass.
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Mr. Andy Logan is being represented as the 'great white hope' of MD Helicopters but customers should not find this comforting. IMHO he is a half-way decent engineer who is well past his prime. We MD owners and operators should be concerned that he is a first-class corporate politician cut from the same cloth as those recently departed. At McDonnell Douglas he demonstrated a healthy disdain for customers in private while publicly representing otherwise. He has, more than once, taken design positions that customers will love what is given them since they aren't smart enough to know what they need or want themselves. He believes pilots and mechanics are, as a collective group, nothing more than well-trained monkeys. They should have hired Jim Van Horn. He is more intelligent and is a more accomplished engineer than Logan. He possesses greater respect for the customer and knowledge of industry requirements than Logan. He is, without any doubt, a better businessman than Logan. He also happens to be a mechanic, a pilot, and a successful businessman. On second thought, those are qualifications that will probably keep him from employment at MD. He is just too good.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: All The Places I Shouldnt Be
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Saw all the crap here and thought I would call Lynn Tilton directly and ask for the real facts behind Robert Rene's departure. Got a couple of text messages back and asked her if she minded if I posted her info and she said go for it. So here are the facts.
* Robert Rene was only ever INTERIM CEO. He works FT for Patriarch and runs their West Coast operations. He was put in at MD to sort everything out and start the process of hiring a new management team. He has done that and all but one position is filled, that of CEO so he has been moved onto another of Lynn's projects. Remember MD Helicopters is only ONE of 62 companies that Patriarch owns and Robert has a number of them under his guidance.
* Lynn is taking over for the very short interim period between now and when they announce their new CEO as she has an avid interest in MD, and the recently added senior executives are very capable of doing what they need to. There was no point in keeping Robert there when they have recently hired some very capable people to do what is needed. They are as follows:
- Dave Langenhuzein (used to be at MDHI previously)
- Charles Vehlow (long time Boeing, Army Science Board and Dir of Apache Program)
- Peter Hokanson as new CFO from Garrett Aviation.
Here is a quote from Lynns text message, posted here with her OK.
"I made the decision to build the permanent team at this time to make sure we could deliver. I hope operators are seeing a difference as we have reduced AOG's by around 80%. As promised that was my first priority".
As soon as I get advised by Lynn on who the new CEO is I will post it here and Lyn has made the invite that if there are any operators here who are experiencing problems getting parts from MD, then drop me a PM with all the info and I will pass it directly to her and she will try and sort it for you. Cant get a better offer than that, can you.
Ned
* Robert Rene was only ever INTERIM CEO. He works FT for Patriarch and runs their West Coast operations. He was put in at MD to sort everything out and start the process of hiring a new management team. He has done that and all but one position is filled, that of CEO so he has been moved onto another of Lynn's projects. Remember MD Helicopters is only ONE of 62 companies that Patriarch owns and Robert has a number of them under his guidance.
* Lynn is taking over for the very short interim period between now and when they announce their new CEO as she has an avid interest in MD, and the recently added senior executives are very capable of doing what they need to. There was no point in keeping Robert there when they have recently hired some very capable people to do what is needed. They are as follows:
- Dave Langenhuzein (used to be at MDHI previously)
- Charles Vehlow (long time Boeing, Army Science Board and Dir of Apache Program)
- Peter Hokanson as new CFO from Garrett Aviation.
Here is a quote from Lynns text message, posted here with her OK.
"I made the decision to build the permanent team at this time to make sure we could deliver. I hope operators are seeing a difference as we have reduced AOG's by around 80%. As promised that was my first priority".
As soon as I get advised by Lynn on who the new CEO is I will post it here and Lyn has made the invite that if there are any operators here who are experiencing problems getting parts from MD, then drop me a PM with all the info and I will pass it directly to her and she will try and sort it for you. Cant get a better offer than that, can you.
Ned
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
cheers for the update Ned, at least they are happy to keep everyone informed so thats a start...lets hope MD get it all working now. Be a shame to see the 902 which I think outstrips every other emergency services helicopter in the UK, fail due to spares and R&D problems
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: At Work
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Ned:
I am simply a regular working guy waiting for parts for my aircraft and although you think the complaints about parts are "crap" I simply disagree. We have been sitting for over six months with no progress because of parts. The shop which is rebuilding my aircraft has four sitting waiting for parts.
However I will be the first to admit that I am full of "crap" and that I am wrong if the situation has changed. I accept your offer.
Please tell Ms. Tilton I am short a part that has been on order for over one year. With this part, I could be in the air in four or five weeks. The part is a cheap $500 part. I need a right front lower skin. Any 369, 500 or 600 series right front lower skin will work as we can trim it to fit.
Further, if you can come up with the part, not only shall I admit I was completely wrong, I shall pay for your and Ms. Tilton's dinner next time you are out here.
The results shall speak for themselves.
I am simply a regular working guy waiting for parts for my aircraft and although you think the complaints about parts are "crap" I simply disagree. We have been sitting for over six months with no progress because of parts. The shop which is rebuilding my aircraft has four sitting waiting for parts.
However I will be the first to admit that I am full of "crap" and that I am wrong if the situation has changed. I accept your offer.
Please tell Ms. Tilton I am short a part that has been on order for over one year. With this part, I could be in the air in four or five weeks. The part is a cheap $500 part. I need a right front lower skin. Any 369, 500 or 600 series right front lower skin will work as we can trim it to fit.
Further, if you can come up with the part, not only shall I admit I was completely wrong, I shall pay for your and Ms. Tilton's dinner next time you are out here.
The results shall speak for themselves.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: All The Places I Shouldnt Be
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Diethelm - Didnt mean to say you were talking crap, was referring to the posts by the armchair quarterbacks who read between the lines and come up with completely inaccurate assumptions, thats all.
Check your PMs.
Cheers
Ned
Check your PMs.
Cheers
Ned
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: All The Places I Shouldnt Be
Posts: 1,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: MD Helicopters - The Future
Hughes500 - Dave McFarlane has some skins but they are not certified ones, just made by a local manufacturer. Would suggest not using these ones.
Also spoke to Jeff at Ro-Wing and they have other skins but not the ones needed. Helimart is also a no go, they have them on back order also.
Will continue to post any results here.
Ned
Also spoke to Jeff at Ro-Wing and they have other skins but not the ones needed. Helimart is also a no go, they have them on back order also.
Will continue to post any results here.
Ned
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ColdWet&Windy
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did the parts arrive from Ned?
In diethelm's message of the 16th January Ned promised to get the parts sorted. How did this go? When are the parts going to arrive. Hopefully the parts issue is sorted - or is it?
