MD500 helicopters – now 50 years in the service of the Finnish Defence Forces

The MD500 helicopter is a U.S. -manufactured light utility helicopter. In the Finnish Defence Forces, the MD500s carry the military designation HH and are operated in the Army by the Utti Jaeger Regiment’s Helicopter Battalion. The MD500s are used, among other, for the Finnish Defence Forces’ rotary wing pilot training, personnel transports, and operational missions. 

The MD500 is based on the Hughes Model 369 light utility helicopter that flew its maiden flight in the 1960s, and, on its basis, thousands of helicopters have since been manufactured for military, civil, and agency use across the world. 

The Finnish Defence Forces procured a new helicopter 

On 17 April 1975, the Helicopter Flight of the Air Force received its first Hughes 369HM helicopter that carried the military designation HH-1 and replaced the Alouette II that was decommissioned from rotary wing pilot training. 
 
The next Hughes helicopter, the HH-2, was received in January 1980. Procured from Scan-Auto Ltd, this particular helicopter was a used civil version 369HS, which was promptly converted to a military one at the Air Force Aeronautical Systems Depot. The HH-2 differed from other helicopters in that it featured three seats in the front and was operated from the right flank seat. The HH-2 replaced the 206 Jet Ranger that had been decommissioned in the spring of 1979.
 
Alongside these helicopters, the Air Force continued rotary wing pilot training with a Hughes 369HS helicopter that was initially rented from Scan-Auto Ltd to become then procured to the Air Force in December 1982, carrying the military designation HH-3. In the following year, the Finnish Air Force commissioned two new Hughes 369D (500D) helicopters that were received in early July 1983 carrying the military designation HH-4 and HH-5.

Helicopters transfer to the Army

In 1997, the Finnish Defence Forces helicopter activity was transferred to the Army that received from the Air Force two MD500 helicopters. The Helicopter Flight that was part of the Air Force Air Transport Squadron was transferred to the composition of the Utti Jaeger Regiment founded on 1.1.1997.  
 
In the autumn of 1998, the Finnish Defence Forces supplemented its helicopter fleet by procuring three used MD500 helicopters from Sweden. The helicopters were officially fielded in the Helicopter Flight in August 1999 together with new training premises and a renovated helicopter hangar. The new helicopters were assigned the military designations HH-6, HH-7, and HH-8. Of these, the HH-7 and HH-8 were of the more recent model 500E. 
 
At the start of 2001, the Helicopter Flight was reorganised as the Helicopter Battalion. By the same token, altogether four new model MD500 E helicopters were procured carrying the designations HH-9, HH-10, HH-11, and HH-12. Arriving at Utti in 2002, these helicopters were night vision imaging system -compatible which allowed starting training and operating night vision goggle (NVG) -equipment.  
 
The avionics upgrade conducted in 2005 modified the helicopters HH-4, HH-6, HH-7, and HH-8 to provide unified cockpit platforms.
 

Use of the HH at present 

Over the years, five of the MD500 helicopters have been decommissioned. Currently, the Finnish Defence Forces have seven MD500 helicopters, two of which are of the older round-nosed model D, and five of the more recent model E. In practice, the differences between the models D and E are minor with no impact on the pilot operation. At the Helicopter Battalion, the MD500 helicopters are operated by both the 1. and 2. Helicopter Company.
 
The rotary wing pilot training provided with the MD500 comprises alongside basic flight training also, among other, navigation, formation and night flight as well as instrument flight. Although this helicopter type is not qualified for instrument flight as such, it is still used for training purposes under visual flight rules (VFR) under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) for instrument flight. Training instrument flight with the HH enables smooth transition to instrument flight with the NH90 helicopters. In fact, the objective of basic and intermediate rotary wing pilot training is to have the pilot students achieve a competence level that allows starting training for NH90 co-pilot operation. 
 
The HH is also used for plenty of support flights, primarily for the Finnish Defence Forces’ other units, but also inter-agency missions for other authorities, such as the Police. Typically, the tasks concern intelligence, visual data, personnel transports, or, in case of training exercise activity, providing a gunship helicopter image for the land forces.  The HH has lifting capacity for up to c. 600 kg external load. 
 
Hughes MD500 (HH) technical specifications 

• Width (the main rotor diameter): 8,06 m 
• Length: 9,31 m 
• Heigth: 3,00 m 
• Weight, depending on the model and version: 750–850 kg 
• Maximum operating weight: 1,361 kg 
• Internal payload: c. 350 kg
• External payload: c. 600 kg 
• Maximum fuel load: 189 kg 
• Structure: All-metal 
• Power plant: 1 x Allison 250-C20 turboshaft engine (278 shp)  
• Maximum speed: 280 km/h 
• Cruising speed: 210 km/h 
• Operating time and range: c. 2,5 h / 500 km 
• Crew: 1 pilot, 3 passengers 
• Equipment: including, among other, NVG gear for the crew
• Number in service in the FDF: 7 pcs
• Country of manufacture: USA 

 
For half a century now, the MD500 has served as the cornerstone of the Finnish Defence Forces’ rotary wing pilot training and stands for one of the most senior helicopter types fielded in the FDF. Over the decades, the HH has accumulated nearly up to c. 55,000 flight hours, a huge number considering the quantity of helicopters operational in total.
 
At present, in the Finnish Defence Forces, the HH is undergoing a modification to have the helicopters’ avionics and mission equipment upgraded to meet the set modern requirements.
 
The helicopter has proven to be a reliable workhorse that, alongside providing pilot training, has also been suitable for conducting versatile tasks. The ingenuous planning of the helicopter becomes evident, for instance, in how the helicopter continues to be used by law enforcement, military, and civil operators across the world. Over the years, the MD500 versions have been modified to feature next generation capability and advanced avionics.
 
To mark its 50th anniversary, one of the Finnish Defence Forces’ MD500 helicopters, the HH-4, now sports an external paint scheme that pays tribute to its original 1980s finish.  During the anniversary year, the HH-4 will participate in air shows as well as regular training and exercise activity.