MD Helicopters completes first MD 500E to MD 530F conversion with Thoroughbred Aviation

MD Helicopters has announced the successful completion of the first MD 500E to MD 530F conversion, carried out at an MD Authorized Service Center, Thoroughbred Aviation in Lexington, Kentucky. This upgrade was completed for the Cleveland police department, in the neighboring US state of Ohio, and Thoroughbred is actively conducting the same upgrade on Cleveland’s second MD 500E.

MD Helicopters President Ryan Weeks commented: “This achievement underscores our dedication to enhancing performance and accessibility through our MD network. Thoroughbred Aviation, a premier Authorized Service Center, is playing a pivotal role in this effort, and we are excited to expand the availability of E-to-F upgrades. Demand for such upgrades is strong and several more performance upgrades will be certified and released throughout 2025 for the MD 500D, MD 500E, and MD 520N.”

The MD Helicopters technical bulletin for the E-to-F conversion expands the availability of this upgrade across the MD network, enhancing power and capabilities in more locations.

Benefits of the MD 500E to MD 530F upgrade include increases of 350lb or 12% in max gross weight (MGW) internal load, 200lb or 6% in MGW external load, 198lb or 12% of internal useful load, and 5,500ft or 92% in hovering in ground effect (HOGE). Key elements of the conversion include an engine upgrade from the Rolls-Royce 250-C20B/R to the Rolls-Royce 250-C30, longer main rotor and tail rotor blades, longer tail rotor driveshaft, a tail rotor gearbox extension, a tail boom modification, new vertical and horizontal stabilizers, and several new gauges.

Earlier this year MD Helicopters announced it will provide Saudi Arabian National Guard with MD530F support.