ENSTROM

Enstrom's first helicopter flies after production resumes

Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has resumed helicopter production and the first aircraft under new ownership was a turbine-powered 480B, which flew for the first time on Monday (January 30).

It was the 255th helicopter in the 480 model series and the 1,317th Enstrom helicopter since the company was founded in 1959.

Enstrom Helicopters ceased to exist in January 2022, nearly 64 years after the Chinese owner of the helicopter brand filed for bankruptcy. Subsequently, the Type Certificates (TC), (production) rights and tooling were acquired from the Chinese Chongqing General Aviation Industry Group (CGAG) by the Indian Surack Enterprises.

The group decided not only to resume production, but also to revive the service for Enstrom's current owners. In mid-December 2022, US aviation authorities also handed over the Certificate of Production (PC), after which construction could start again.

The Indian company owns Sweet Aviation (aircraft charters, training and leasing) and Sweet Helicopters, among others, and has also appointed a Czech Ensteom dealer in December 2022.

The helicopter brand was founded by Rudy Enstrom, who built prototype helicopters in his garage in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1959, this led to the arrival of the first series-produced F28. This was followed by the 280 Shark in the 1970s and the turbine-powered 480 in the 1990s. The three models evolved over the years into the F28F, the turbocharged F280FX and the 480B-G.

Attempts to market new models such as the 280L and TH180 failed miserably. The manufacturer delivered five helicopters in 2020 and just two in the first few months of 2021, bringing total production to around 1,300 Enstroms.