The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation Receives Production Certificate
The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation (Enstrom) is excited to announce that it has received FAA Production Certificate No. 26CE. Doug Smith, Enstrom’s VP of Quality Assurance, was on hand to receive the Production Certificate (PC) in person at the Minneapolis MIDO. The PC authorizes Enstrom to manufacture parts for all models of Enstrom helicopters, an important milestone for any aircraft OEM.
“I am so proud of the team at Enstrom,” said Chuck Surack, Enstrom’s owner. “To go from where we started to receiving a PC in only six months is just incredible. We are on pace to start delivering helicopters this spring, and in fact the first new Enstroms are already coming down the line!”
“This is really a testament to the relationship that Doug and Bill Taylor (Enstrom’s VP of Engineering) have with the FAA,” commented Enstrom’s CEO Matt Francour. “It was a tremendous amount of work, but with their experience and knowledge we were able to get it completed in record time. We had been building parts for the last six months under our Type Certificate holder authorization, which allowed us to support our customers, but with the PC in hand now we can start approving parts under our normal processes, which will really speed things up.”
Smith received the PC from Gary Bockman, FAA Senior Aviation Safety Inspector (SASI) at the Minneapolis MIDO, on a special day for Bockman as it was his last before a well-earned retirement. “I’ve been working with Gary for 9 years, and while he has always been by the book and held us to account, he and everyone at the MIDO have also always spared no effort to support us. The FAA has been a true partner, and together we’ve made Enstrom stronger and our aircraft safer. On behalf of everyone at Enstrom, I want to wish Gary all the best in retirement. He’ll be missed.”
About Enstrom Helicopter
From Rudy Enstrom’s early designs in 1943 to initial testing in a Michigan Quarry in 1957 to aircraft operating on six continents, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has maintained a reputation for safety, value and performance. Based in Menominee, Michigan and proudly made in the United States, Enstrom has a rich history for design innovation. The goal is to provide helicopters to the customer’s exact specification and deliver support and maintenance worldwide.