Boeing

Boeing Rotorcraft Systems (formerly Boeing Helicopters and before that Boeing Vertol) is the former name of a US aircraft manufacturer, now known as the Mobility Division of Boeing Military Aircraft, a division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The headquarters and main rotorcraft factory is in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Production of Apache attack helicopters in Mesa, Arizona, formerly part of Rotorcraft Systems, is now under the Global Strike Division of Boeing Military Aircraft.

Boeing Helicopters was created as Boeing Vertol when the Vertol Aircraft Corporation (formerly Piasecki Helicopter) company of Morton, Pennsylvania was acquired by Boeing in 1960; the Vertol name was an abbreviation for Vertical Take Off and Landing. Other names by which the division sometimes referred to itself in correspondence over the years were “Boeing Aircraft Company, Vertol Division” and “Boeing Philadelphia”. The company was responsible for the design and production of the CH-46 Sea Knight and the CH-47 Chinook. The name became Boeing Helicopters in 1987, and the current name was adopted in 2002.

When Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas, the former Hughes Helicopters operations in Mesa, Arizona were placed under Boeing Helicopters. A year and a half later Boeing sold the civilian line of helicopters to MD Helicopter Holdings Inc., an indirect subsidiary of the Dutch company, RDM Holding Inc.

By December 2006 Columbia Helicopters of Aurora, Oregon has purchased the Type certificate of the Boeing Vertol 107-II and Boeing Model 234 Commercial Chinook from Boeing.The Columbia Helicopters is seeking FAA issuance of a Production Certificate to produce parts with eventual issuance of a PC to produce aircraft.

Boeing (Vertol) products:

• AH-6 Little Bird (acquired when Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas)
• AH-64 Apache (acquired when Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas)
• Boeing Model 234 Commercial Chinook
• Boeing Model 360 (an all composite, private venture, technology demonstrator)
• Boeing Vertol 107-II
• Boeing Vertol XCH-62 (Model 301)
• Boeing Vertol YUH-61
• Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
• Boeing CH-47 Chinook
  • Boeing Chinook (UK variants)
• V-22 Osprey (built as a teaming arrangement with Bell Helicopter Textron)
• Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche

Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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