Story ID: 334
Enstrom Helicopter Builds Back Better
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: Under new ownership, Enstrom Helicopter has restarted its production line and has several upgrades in the works.
Word Count: 891
Menominee, Michigan-based Enstrom Helicopter is back, though it hit a few bumps along the road from bankruptcy in January 2022 to flying the first helicopter produced under its new ownership earlier this year. That said, the company is now on a trajectory to certify significant upgrades for its piston and turbine helicopter models and have a production tempo of three aircraft per month by year-end, Enstrom v-p of sales and marketing Dennis Martin told AIN.
Last year at Heli-Expo, a group that included the owners of Midlothian, Texas-based MidTex Aviation announced an agreement to acquire nearly all of then-bankrupt Enstrom’s assets, with plans to reopen the company in mid-April. However, the main investor in this venture passed away shortly after the announcement, leaving the group without funding to close the deal.
The group contacted Chuck Surack, a helicopter pilot and founder of online music retailer Sweetwater Sound, who had previously expressed interest in Enstrom. Surack Enterprises subsequently bought Enstrom in May. It joined Surack’s portfolio of aviation-related businesses, including Sweet Aviation, which provides airplane charter flights, training, and rentals; Sweet Helicopters, which supplies the same for rotorcraft; and aviation insurance broker Aviation Specialty Insurance.
Under the new owners, Enstrom immediately began to support the in-service fleet of its more than 1,300 light helicopters while simultaneously laying plans to restart production. By the end of June, the company’s production line was once again moving and in December Enstrom regained its production certificate.
Two months ago, it rolled out and flew the first turbine Enstrom 480B since it reopened 10 months ago. The company stressed that the aircraft was not “an unfinished leftover airframe, but was built using components procured, machined, fabricated, and assembled on-site.” This aircraft—Enstrom’s 255th 480-series machine and 1,317th helicopter overall—is on display this week at Heli-Expo (Booth C2820).
“This was a critical milestone in our plan to not just bring back Enstrom, but to start to reinvent ourselves and the way we operate,” said the company's COO, Adam Richardson. “It took all functions to focus on the objective. New supplier relationships, new machinists and fabricators, and luckily many from prior years, better print definitions, a high standard of workmanship, and everyone on-site helping each other cross-functionally to bring us back online.”
According to Martin, another 480B will come off the line this month, followed by a Model 280 piston helicopter. Production is expected to ramp up to two helicopters per month by midyear and three per month by year-end.
Meanwhile, the company will use its first-produced 480B to certify new upgrades and planned improvements. These include crash-resistant fuel tanks (CRFT), updated avionics, and new interiors.
First on that list are CRFTs, which the FAA and EASA are mandating for new-production helicopters. Development of the more robust fuel tanks began in 2019 under Enstrom’s previous owner, China’s Chongqing General Aviation Industry Group, but funding dried up for the project. Surack resurrected the work, partnering with Safran to develop a CFRT that Enstrom was able to incorporate into the 480B that came off the production line in January.
Martin said the crash-resistant fuel tank for the Enstrom 480B will be FAA certified by the end of this quarter, with one for the Model 280 expected to be approved in the fourth quarter. The beefier fuel tanks will also be available for retrofit, he added.
Up front, the company’s helicopters will be getting all-new glass avionics. While 480-series helicopters that Enstrom built for the Czech air force in 2018 have Garmin G1000H glass cockpits, Martin said this system is overkill.
Thus, Enstrom has selected the more cost-effective touchscreen Garmin G500H for its flight instrument avionics, along with either a Garmin GTN 650Xi or 750Xi navcom and Howell digital engine indication system. The company expects to certify the setup later this year. According to Martin, synthetic vision, HTAWS, and autopilot are on Enstrom’s radar but will come at a later date.
“We’ll also be cleaning up some smaller stuff,” Martin noted. This includes improving several components to increase quality and hold the line on costs. He pointed to things such as higher-quality bearings and stronger castings to, among other things, extend gear life.
The interior is also being upgraded with new-design panels, molding, and trim to appear “more upscale,” said Martin. “The refreshed interior is on display here at Heli-Expo. We really focused on improving fit and finish—I hope attendees will take notice.”
Meanwhile, support and service for customers are also at the top of the company's list. According to Martin, Enstrom has re-signed with a lot of its previous suppliers and has added a significant amount of inventory. “Whatever the parts forecast is, Chuck [Surack] says to add 50 percent more than that in inventory, so that’s what we’ve been doing,” he said.
The company is also investing in updating manuals, so customers should soon see further improvements on this front.