AIRCRAFT PROGRAM
Photo: MD Helicopters
| Lift type | Rotary wing | ||
| Construction type | Factory-built | ||
| Control type | Piloted | ||
| Engine type | Turboshaft | ||
| Application | Utility | ||
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Light single turboshaft utility helicopter. Includes 500E, 530F, 530G and 540F variants.
| Variant | Launch/First flight | Production end | |
| MD 500E | 1982 / 1982 | Replaced MD 500D, single-engine helicopter. | |
| MD 530F Lifter | 1982 / 1982 | Upgraded military variant. | |
| MD 530F Cayuse Warrior | 1984 / 1984 | Armed variant. | |
| MD 540F | 2012 / 2013 | Upgraded 530F variant with fully integrated glass cockpit for US Armed Aerial Scout program. | |
| MD 530G | 2013 / 2013 | Armed aerial scout variant of 530F. |
View full news archive for the MD 500E/530F.
See recent updates (latest 26/12/2024)
| Components | Lighting (4) Mechanical Components (1) Sensors, Transducers & Detectors (1) Structural Components (1) |
| Airframe Systems | Airframe Assemblies (1) Cabin Interiors (1) Safety & Security Systems (1) |
| Avionics | Communications (Airborne) (8) Flight and Data Management (3) Imaging and Visual Systems (2) Indicators and Instruments (9) Navigation Aids (Airborne) (1) Warning Systems (1) |
| Power Systems | Batteries & Accessories (1) Engines (1) Fuel Systems (1) Power Transmission (1) |
| Testing | Aircraft Operations (1) |
| Collins Aerospace, Interior Systems | Analysis | News | Aircraft Exterior Lighting Systems: LED exterior lighting package including dual mode anti-collision lights, position lights, and tail lights |
| SPAES Aviation | Analysis | Searchlights: Optional Nightscanner searchlight (MD 500E/530F) |
| Spectrolab Inc. | Analysis | Searchlights: Optional SX-5 Starburst (MD 500E), or SX-16 Nightsun searchlight (MD 500E/530F) |
| Trakka Systems | Analysis | Searchlights: Optional TrakkaBeam A800 (MD 500E/530F) |
| Guardian Electric Manufacturing | Analysis | Control Grips: |
| Garmin International | Analysis | News | Magnetometers: GMU 44 magnetometer (MD 500E) |
| Mace Aviation, LLC | Analysis | Aircraft Structural Components: Extended Range Weapons Wing (MD 530G, Afghan MD 530F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Kinetic Defense Mfg. Inc. | Analysis | Fuselage Sections: Aircaft armour (MD 530F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Gerflor: Batiflex | Analysis | Floor Coverings: Batiflex flooring (MD 500E), and Batiflex Vinyl flooring (MD 530F) |
| Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp. (AEM) | Analysis | Onboard Intercom Systems: Optional audio system (MD 530F) |
| Canyon AeroConnect (was Cobham Aerospace Communications (U.S.A) | Analysis | Onboard Intercom Systems: Optional audio system (MD 500E/530F); Radio Communications Equipment: Optional RT-7000 tactical radio and AA34 universal radio interface (MD 500E/530F) |
| Collins Aerospace, Avionics Division | Analysis | Radio Communications Equipment: HF-9000D radio (Kenyan MD 530F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Garmin International | Analysis | News | Radar Transponders: GTX 345R transponder (MD 500E/530F); GTX 330 Mode S transponder (MD 500E); Onboard Intercom Systems: GMA 350Hc audio panel (MD 500E/530F); Radio Communications Equipment: GNC 420 VHF (MD 500E); optional GTR 225 radio (MD 500E/530F) |
| L3Harris (was Harris Govt Comms Systems) | Analysis | Radio Communications Equipment: Falcon III RF-7850A-MR multi-channel radio (Kenyan MD 530G/F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Rohde & Schwarz | Analysis | Radio Communications Equipment: M3AR family software radios (Afghan MD 530F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Technisonic Industries Ltd. | Analysis | Radio Communications Equipment: Optional TDFM-9300 radio (MD 500E/530F); Onboard Intercom Systems: Optional audio system (MD 500E/530F); Transceivers: Optional TFM-30 VHF/FM transceiver (MD 500E/530F) |
| Vislink (was Broadcast Microwave Services (BMS)) | Analysis | Air-to-Ground Data Links: Optional Heli-Coder 4 (HC4) (MD 500E/530F) |
| GPMS International, Inc. | Analysis | News | Health & Usage Monitoring: Optional Foresight MX predictive Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) (MD 530F) |
| Howell Instruments, Inc. | Analysis | News | Data Acquisition Systems: Engine Instrumentation System (MD 500E/530F) |
| Tek Fusion Global, Inc. | Analysis | Avionics Management Systems: Pathfinder mission mangement system (MD 530G) |
| L3Harris Technologies: WESCAM | Analysis | Airborne Reconnaissance Infrared: Optional MX-10 sensor turret (MD 500E/530F); MX-10D sensor turret (MD 530G) |
| Teledyne FLIR (was FLIR Systems, Inc.) | Analysis | FLIR Systems: Optional Star SAFRIRE 380-HDc (MD 500E/530F) |
| Ahlers Aerospace, Inc. | Analysis | Engine Indicator Instruments: Engine power out monitor (MD 500N) |
| Aspen Avionics Inc. | Analysis | Electronic Flight Instrument Systems: Optional Evolution primary flight display system |
| FreeFlight Systems | Analysis | Radar/Radio Altimeters: Optional RA-4500 radar altimeter (MD 500E/530F) |
| Garmin International | Analysis | News | Electronic Flight Instrument Systems: G500H avionics suite (MD 500E); G500H TXi avionics suite displays (MD 500E/530F); Moving Maps: Optional Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology (HSVT) (MD 500E/530F); Attitude and Heading Reference Systems: Optional AHRS |
| Genesys Aerosystems Group, Inc. | Analysis | Electronic Flight Instrument Systems: IDU-680 suite (MD 530G) |
| L3Harris (was L3 Aviation Products) | Analysis | Electronic Flight Instrument Systems: ESI-500 electronic standby instrument (MD 500E) |
| Liquid Measurement Systems - LMS | Analysis | News | Fuel Quantity Indicators: Crash-resistant fuel gauging system (MD 500E, MD 520N, and MD 530F); Fuel Quantity Indicators: Fuel quantity measurement system |
| Shadin Avionics | Analysis | Fuel Flow Rate Indicators: Optional fuel flow system (MD 500E/530F) |
| Thales AVS France | Analysis | Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMD): Scorpion HMD (MD 530G) |
| Garmin International | Analysis | News | GPS: GTN 650 Touchscreen NAV/COM/GPS (MD 500E/530F); GNS 430W NAV/COM/GPS, GTN 650H (MD 500E); GTN 650Xi GPS/NAV/COMM, and optional GTN 750 (MD 500E/530F); Onboard Airport Navigation Systems: Optional SafeTaxi and FliteCharts geo-referenced airport diagrams and terminal procedures |
| Garmin International | Analysis | News | Collision Avoidance Systems/TCAS: GTS 800 traffic alert system (MD 500E); Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems: Optional HTAWS (MD 500E/530F) |
| MarathonNorco Aerospace | Analysis | Nickel-Cadmium Batteries: 17 Ah battery (MD 530F Cayuse Warrior) |
| Rolls-Royce Corporation | Analysis | News | Turboshaft Engines: (M250-C - MD 500E - M250-C20B/R; MD 530F Cayuse Warrior - M250-C30; MD 530F Lifter - M250-C30; MD 530G - M250-C30; MD 540F - M250-C47E ) |
| Robertson Fuel Systems, LLC | Analysis | Fuel Tanks & Systems: Crashworthy fuel tanks (MD 530F Cayuse, option MD 530F Lifter); Little Bird Auxiliary Tank System (LBATS) (MD 530F/G) |
| Triumph Integrated Systems - Geared Solutions - Macomb | Analysis | News | Gearboxes: Manufacture/assembly of gearbox (MD 530F) |
| PFC Defense | Analysis | Flight Simulators: Precision X mixed reality simulator (MD 500E/530F) |
