The MD 900/902 achieved CAA Type Acceptance for restriction – free import & operation throughout New Zealand
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) is pleased to announce that the MD 900 was recently granted Type Acceptance from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ) based on its FAA Type Certification No. H19NM. This certification is all-inclusive and authorizes restriction-free import and operation of the MD 900/902 Explorer throughout New Zealand.
MDHI’s twin-engine, 8-seat, MD 900/902 Explorer entered the commercial market in 1994, setting new and still enduring benchmarks for safety, quiet operation, versatility and low cost operation. With the largest functional cabin in the light-twin category, the MD 900/902 Explorer offers the flexibility to quickly configure – and reconfigure – the aircraft for a range of mission requirements. Today, nearly 50% of the global MD 900/902 Explorer fleet operates in service of emergency medical services, law enforcement and military/para-military organizations.
“We couldn’t be more pleased that the CAANZ has granted Type Acceptance for the MD 900/902 Explorer,” said Craig Kitchen, Chief Commercial Officer for MD Helicopters. “While we’ve always had a strong single-engine base in New Zealand – roughly 5% of all 500-series aircraft currently in operation are registered with CAANZ – Type Acceptance of the MD 900/902 will allow us to serve a broader segment of New Zealand’s rotorcraft operators who require enhanced gross weight, VFR/IFR operations.”
Two Pratt and Whitney Canada engines power the MD 900/902 Explorer. The turbine engines are FADEC controlled and geared to drive a bearingless, composite, fully articulated main rotor system with NOTAR® anti-torque system. MDHI’s exclusive NOTAR® system for anti-torque control with no tail rotor reduces pilot workload and external noise levels, and significantly improves safety in confined areas and on offshore platforms. MD Helicopters is the only rotorcraft OEM that offers NOTAR® technology. Built-in HIRF, lightning strike protection, maintenance steps and platforms, and an advanced composite airframe that is resistant to corrosion in hostile marine environments further enhance the safety and maintainability of the MD 900/902 Explorer.
“The MD 900/902 is a proven, multi-purpose twin-engine helicopter that has set the standard in performance, affordability, dependability and safety for more than 20 years,” Kitchen concludes. “With operators in virtually every market segment, we are truly excited about this new opportunity in New Zealand, and look forward to welcoming new MD operators to our global family.”
