Episodes 306 - The Future of MD Helicopters: Strategic Upgrades and Leadership Part I

Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast and The Helicopter Podcast mashup, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS , in partnership with Vertical Valor magazine. Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter! This two-part series is unique, in that we have an opportunity to talk to the president and CEO of MD Helicopters, co-hosted with my friends and co-workers Halsey Schider (host of The Helicopter Podcast ) and Brent Bundy, a retired Phoenix Police Department pilot and a senior correspondent at Vertical magazine. In this engaging conversation, we talk with MD Helicopters president and CEO Ryan Weeks. Weeks has a diverse background that began with a passion for cars and motorcycles, leading him to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. He started his career with Textron's automotive division, where he gained valuable experience. Over time, he transitioned into product line management and earned an M.B.A. to enhance his strategic skills. Weeks' career path took him through various roles at Textron, including a significant stint at Bell Helicopter, where he contributed to product development and aftermarket business improvements. In 2019, he joined Honeywell Aerospace, and by 2022 he was recruited to help MD Helicopters improve its aftermarket operations. His leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in shaping MD's path. During our conversation, we discuss the challenges MD faces in the aftermarket and supply chain. The discussion also delves into leadership insights, and the importance of regular product updates to maintain competitiveness in the helicopter industry. We talk about the exciting developments at MD Helicopters, a company with nearly 80 years of history. We’ll discuss the revitalization of the legendary MD 530N, now equipped with the powerful Rolls-Royce C30 engine, as well as the new MD Super D20B upgrade that boosts performance and payload for legacy MD 500 models. We'll explore how these advancements are delivering more power, greater payloads, and improved safety, even in the toughest environments, ensuring the fleet remains mission-ready for years to come. Stay tuned as we break down what these upgrades mean for operators, maintenance crews, and the future of helicopter aviation. This podcast was recorded on Tuesday, Oct. 21. At the time of recording, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had yet to approve the first of the supplemental type certificates (STCs) associated with the fielded fleet upgrades discussed in this recording. Three days later, the FAA approved the STC for the Super D20B, and the first Super D20B went into service on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Thank you to our sponsors Astronautics Corporation of America , BLR Aerospace and Precision Aviation Group .