MD Helicopters MD 564
 

welcome to the Md Helicopters MD564
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....64c99c66b.jpeg


cheers

I think it's bizarre that they made opaque the front center of the windshield. I wonder how it looks from the inside; I don't see any photos of the inside online so I'm guessing they only have what is basically a mock-up at the expo, with tinted doors that can't be opened?

MD564
https://verticalmag.com/news/return-...64-helicopter/
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That's a very informative link, I wonder how many LE organizations on this side of the pond have an interest.

If I were a rich man: I’d own a “500”.
The limited experience I have in them has left an impression.

Me too! The 500D is the sweet spot for me, The type I have most found that reads my mind!

Yes, I can only hope that like the door windows, it's promotional decalling, and someone thinks better of it, and let's us see the world as it should be seen from an MD!

I could possibly dream of a share in an old “C”, but yes, a D would be the one I’d like.
But I’m definitely buying a 564 when I win the lottery.
:)

The certification date seems ambitious but if it is certified as a variant a of the 530F and not a new type, it could happen quickly enough. The six-blade head flew on the MD540F/A aircraft more than 10 years ago so they will have plenty of data on that. The tail rotor is a newer component that will need to be worked on. Apparently it isn’t being employed to reduce tail rotor noise but enhance authority instead and will run at standard rpms. MD were looking at a 530F four blade tail rotor back in the Lynn Tilton days but I am not sure it made it off the drawing board. This could be a development of that TR design.

It looks like this aircraft is, broadly speaking, a civilian version of the current US Army Little Bird, or as close as is possible to it. Hopefully it proves to be a successful venture for MD Helicopters.

The option of 4 bladed tail rotor on 500s has been around for many years. I first came across one in the late 80's. But looking up Wikipedia I was surprised by how long ago that option had already been available:

One 500 I flew in the 1990’s had a 4 bladed TR. At the time it was called the low noise tail, and had the reputation of less authority (might have turned slower?). It was an Ex Law Enforcement machine from the US, with a bizarrely high Total Time (like 4+hrs every day since it was made). Like the fenestron on the EC120 the blades weren’t equally spaced: to reduce “howling”. ie more like an X than a cross - looks the same on the 564. All from distant memory, with the usual caveats. :)

The four blade tail rotor on the 500 dates as far back as 1969 with the early testing for the OH-6A “Quiet One “ experimental helicopter. I think they started testing the 500D 4-blade tr in 1977 with the first customer delivery in 1979. If you have ever heard the difference in noise output from the 2- and 4-blade tr, it is significant!

This new blade system on the 564 is not a low noise system but runs at standard rpm, according to Ryan Weeks. Will still be interesting to see if it is a bit quieter than the 530F tr. The 4-blade tr on the A/MH-6M is different again from the 564 tr.

It also struck me as a strange move. I wonder what the motivation was? To increase birdstrike resistance of windscreens perhaps? While looking for inside views of existing 500's to see what this might do to visibility, I came across this item from as recently as 2022:

https://verticalmag.com/press-releas...glass-cockpit/

That mod was focussed on making the console as narrow as possible, but driven by operator requests for greater visibility, not less!

Here is my photoshop attempt to amend the 564 a little:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....b6d9261409.jpg

My only experience of MD helis was the 902 in Police and Air Ambo roles. Based on that, I would be prepared to bet that - whatever other differences there may be between this heli and its competitors - the cockpit design and layout will be much more pilot-friendly than anything coming out of Europe these days. I wish MD well.

I hope that MD does away with the orange decal on the windshield, that's the part of the windshield I want be seeing through in case the snow begins to stick, so I can see that happening!


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f1ee916c6b.jpg

What’s the icing limitation for the 500?

I'm not aware that any flight into icing is permitted, hence my being happy to see the first sign of sticking snow so I could change my plan!

Hopefully the modified nose is simply a marketing gimmick as it appears to simply be wrap covering that section of the nose. I could be wrong but I’d imagine the utility guys would rather see this fitted with the 500D bubble nose instead of the more modern pointy nose. MD are unlikely to release a new version with the old nose though.

I’m not sure vne will increase for this model so either nose would probably suffice.

There is nothing "new" under the sun. All the technology on this machine has been around for a long time and is all certified with the exception maybe of the 4 blade T/R setup running at higher speed. The 6 blades on a 530 was flown around 1997 which was when I saw it at Mesa as obviously they developed it before the 600N flew with it. Without extra tanks and with average reserves implemented around the planet, back of a fag packet calcs put the range with a full tank at about 140 miles? Lot's of skinny little blades will never equate to good hover or altitude efficiency due to parasite drag and poor L/D ratio as the AoA is not ideal. It will probably autorotate better than a 600 due to less fuselage blanketing but I would wager it will end up with a minimum weight limitation. The common denominator is you can only do so much if you start with the same rotor blade which has been around forever. If you need a "better" 530 this is probably the answer as it will be more "up to date". My two bob - for free!

Clearly you didn't read the article; it's supposed to have a 4-hour endurance with the aux tank, for over a 400 nm range.

Is the 4 bladed t/r not pretty commonplace in the kiwi land and has been for sometime??