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MD Helicopters Announces New Ownership and Leadership
The Mesa, Arizona, helicopter manufacturer emerges from bankruptcy ready to stabilize and support customers with an eye on future growth.
Brad Pedersen, the newly announced president of MD Helicopters LLC, is no-nonsense regarding the company’s future. After three years of working through a bankruptcy process with a compilation of companies, Pedersen said MD Helicopters is ready to focus on its core business: its customers and aftermarket support. The 35-year aerospace veteran said the company is financially strong, and the bankruptcy was a collateralized loan fund that included ownership of several companies. It wasn’t a bankruptcy born from poor financial management.
The company, previously known as MD Helicopters Inc., started by Howard Hughes in 1947, has had various owners including McDonnell-Douglas, The Boeing Company, RDM Holdings, and Patriarch Properties.
Pedersen announced that the board of directors has changed, along with key leaders. All new board members are career aerospace and defense executives. Several new board members have deep financial backgrounds. The board’s new chairman is Ed Dolanski, a former Boeing executive who ran the aftermarket business before retirement. Also notable is Gen. Gus Perna, who worked with former President Trump in Operation Warp Speed to help roll out the initial COVID-19 vaccines. Pedersen said, “Gen. Perna knows how to get things done in the government in Washington.”
Other than new leadership and focusing on stabilizing the business, Pedersen said the staff of about 250 will stay. He
26 Sep/Oct 2022
hopes to hire soon for critical positions that saw attrition during the pandemic and bankruptcy. They are staying in Mesa, Arizona, in a commercial community of other aerospace and defense companies. Pedersen added that Arizona is business friendly.
While he said there had been constraints to operations per bankruptcy court, they are ready to look at ramping up production in 2023 with a production mix of both civilian and defense aircraft.
But before that, the new leaders and board will work to ensure the current customers are happy. “We will have parts inventory on the shelves,” said Pedersen. “The aftermarket needs to be treated as an essential business.” He feels that new sales and aftermarket sales go together. They’ve brought Ryan Weeks from Bell Helicopters to help with the aftermarket function.
Down the road, they see an implementation of some new technologies. Still, they will continue to serve the critical markets of law enforcement, utilities, and VIP fliers with the MD 500E, MD 520N, and MD 530F and MD 902 Explorer helicopters, with service and sales on the military aircraft Armed MD 530F.
The company’s NOTAR® Technology also offers a quieter flight
than similar helicopters, which could be something to watch for the future.
Pedersen seems optimistic and ready to work in his new role with MD Helicopters. He will work to improve profits, customer support, and the relationship with Boeing, while making the business a rewarding place for employees.
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