Notable Helicopter Manufacturers


There are a quite a number of active helicopter manufacturers, but overall they produce few models affordable to the individual consumer.

At the very inexpensive end is Rotorway, which makes kit helicopters (the IKEA of helicopters). Robinson is a little more expensive but still relatively affordable. They produce the most non-military helicopters in the industry. Their most popular models are the R22 and R44. Bell Helicopters also produces models for consumers, but is not as popular.

Eurocopter and MD Helicopters serve the commercial market (air ambulance, civilian transport, oil rigs) as well as the military markets. MD Helicopters produces the well-known Apache helicopter. Eurocopter is based in Europe, and as a consequence, some of its models have a main rotor that turns in the opposite direction than that of rotorcraft manufactured in the United States (rotor torque affects how a pilot interacts with the craft and a reversed rotor direction is disorienting).

Sikorsky and an upstart Augusta Westland specialize in the military and law enforcement markets. Until recently, Sikorsky has held the contract for Marine One (the presidential helicopter) since the 1950s, using it's roomy Sea King model but the contract was recently awarded to Augusta Westland instead. Sikorsky also manufactures the infamous Black Hawk military helicopter.