Enstrom Helicopter Corporation receives FAA production certificate to make parts again

Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has received the FAA Production Certificate No. 26CE. Enstrom’s VP of Quality Assurance, Doug Smith, received the certificate in person at the Minneapolis MIDO. This recent certification will allow Enstrom to manufacture parts for all Enstrom helicopter models.

“I am so proud of the team at Enstrom,” Enstrom’s owner Chuck Surack said. “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,” Enstrom CEO Matt Francour said. “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.”

The company was founded by Rudy Enstrom in 1957, testing his homebuilt helicopter. It began designing and releasing notable aircraft for the industry. Enstrom closed its doors and declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Jan. 21, 2022. After nearly 65 years, the longstanding helicopter company closed its doors, stating financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic caused owners to close down.

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After declaring bankruptcy, Texas-based MidTex Aviation planned to acquire the company’s assets and reopen the manufacturer’s factory in Menominee, Michigan under the new name Enstrom Aerospace Industries. MidTex Aviation then had problems securing funding for the deal and a new owner stepped in.

Enstrom was purchased by Chuck Surack of Surack Enterprises in May 2022. Surack had a history with Enstrom, purchasing an Enstrom 480B before even obtaining his pilot’s license. The initial goal after the purchase was to continue to provide support to current Enstrom owners. With new leadership, the company planned to expand its fleet and begin building parts and helicopters again.

Enstrom has a long history and plans to continue to provide helicopters and deliver support and maintenance to Enstrom aircraft owners across the globe.

Smith had received the certificate from Gary Bockman, FAA Senior Aviation Safety Inspector (SASI) at the Minneapolis MIDO. Bockman was able to give the certificate to Smith on his last day before 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.”