MD Helicopters Delivers First MD 500E to MD 530F Conversion with Authorized Service Center Thoroughbred Aviation

MD Helicopters announces the successful completion of the first MD 500E to MD 530F conversion, carried out at an MD Authorized Service Center, Thoroughbred Aviation, in Lexington, KY. This significant milestone reflects the strength of the MD Authorized Service Center network and MD Helicopters’ commitment to fleet upgrades by making it easier and less costly to upgrade MD aircraft.

The upgrade was completed for the Cleveland Police Department, and Thoroughbred is actively conducting the same upgrade on Cleveland’s second MD 500E.

MD Helicopters' president, Ryan Weeks, says, “This achievement underscores our dedication to enhancing performance and accessibility through our MD Network. Thoroughbred Aviation, a premier authorized service center, is playing a pivotal role in this effort, and we are excited to expand the availability of E-to-F upgrades. Demand for such upgrades is strong, and several more performance upgrades will be certified and released throughout 2025 for the MD 500D, MD 500E and MD 520N.”

The MD Helicopters technical bulletin for the E-to-F conversion expands the availability of this upgrade across the MD Network, bringing increased power and capabilities to more locations.

Key benefits of the MD 500E to MD 530F upgrade include +350 pounds or a 12% increase in MGW internal load, +200 lbs. or a 6% increase in MGW external load, +198 lbs. or a 12% of internal useful load, and a +5,500 feet or 92% increase in HOGE. Key elements of the conversion include an engine upgrade from the Rolls Royce 250-C20B/R to the Rolls Royce 250-C30, longer main-rotor and tail-rotor blades, longer tail-rotor driveshaft, a tail-rotor gearbox extension, a tail-boom modification, new vertical and horizontal stabilizers, and several new gauges.

This upgrade not only enhances the aircraft’s max gross weight capacity to 3,350 lbs. but also improves cruise speed and optimizes flight performance in challenging environments.

 For more information, visit mdhelicopters.com.