MD Helicopters MD Explorer

what is it?

The MD Helicopters MD Explorer is a light twin-engined utility helicopter designed and initially produced by the American rotorcraft specialist McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. It was the company's first clean-sheet helicopter to incorporate the NOTAR system, which gave its tail a unique appearance as well as a quieter sound profile in contrast to a traditional tail rotor. Development of the helicopter was launched in 1989 under the MDX designation; McDonnell Douglas partnered with Hawker de Havilland of Australia to produce the composite airframes, and was the launch customer for Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW200 turboshaft engine.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 10.3 m main rotor

base stats

• speed 248 km/hcruise speed
• range 543 kmwithout refuelling
• size 2,835 kgmax take-off weight

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 34 years ago, in 1992.
• 🚗Rotor of 10.3 m: about 2 cars parked nose to tail.

turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.

spec sheet

first flight

1992-12-18

introduced

1994

status

still flying

number built

—

role

light twin utility helicopter

makers

MD Helicopters

engines

2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206E

crew

1

length

9.9 m

rotor diameter

10.3 m

height

3.7 m

max take-off weight

2,835 kg

top speed

—

cruise speed

248 km/h

range

543 km

ceiling

5,334 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.