Medium Turbine Helicopter✓ in production1968 present
Range
233 NM · 432 km
MTOW
1.361 kg
Cruise
130 kt · 241 km/h
Seats
5
up to 5 passengers
New price
US$ 1.5M
The MD Helicopters MD500 E is a medium turbine helicopter in production since 1968. It has a range of 233 nm, a cruise speed of 130 kt (241 km/h), up to 5 passengers. A brand-new example starts at US$ 1.5M. In Brazil there are 14 units registered in the RAB-ANAC. There are 9 aircraft from this family for sale today, across 9 listings on the portals Jet Tracker tracks (global market, not Brazil only).
Source: RAB-ANAC (data as of 9/22/2026) and Jet Tracker catalog (spec sheet reviewed on 7/29/2026).
market medianaging ≈ −2.2%/yr−63% vs Helicóptero Medium Turbine median
Entry
US$ 775.0 mil
model year 1982
Best value
US$ 1.1 mi
model year 1989
Top of range
US$ 1.9 mi
model year 2023
Used vs new
−32%
catalog US$ 1.9 mi
Minimum
US$ 995.0 mil
R$ 5.1 mi
Median
US$ 1.3 mi
R$ 6.7 mi
Maximum
US$ 2.5 mi
R$ 12.8 mi
New · manufacturer catalogin productionUS$ 1.9 mi · R$ 9.7 mi
Depreciation curve by year of manufacture
CAGR +2.2%/yr·1982→2023
Market median by vintage (USD). Light-blue band = min/max range observed across real listings. Points without reliable public listings (n ≤ 1) use Bluebook/curve interpolation and are flagged as lower confidence.
2 of 4 points with reduced confidence (n ≤ 1 listing observed). The estimate for these years comes from Aircraft Bluebook / market-curve interpolation, not from direct listings.
Landed in Brazil
Index ≈ ×1.09 to ×1.34 on the aircraft value, already with ferry, ANAC nationalization and ICMS.
Air taxi
US$ 1.1 mi – 2.9 mi
R$ 5.6 mi – 14.6 mi · ICMS Agreement 75/91 · ~4 to 5%
Private use
US$ 1.2 mi – 3.4 mi
R$ 6.3 mi – 17.2 mi · ICMS ~18 to 25%
Market estimate: value + ferry + ANAC nationalization + ICMS, no legal review. Federal taxes (II/IPI/PIS/COFINS) ~0% for aircraft (NCM 88.02); the weight is the state ICMS, higher for private use.
Cost per flight hour
Operate · owned
US$ 620/h
R$ 3.2 mil/h · Variable/h
Fixed/yr
US$ 292.3 mil
Total/h @ 400 hrs/yr
US$ 1.4 mil/h
Charter · 🌎 World
US$ 1.2 mil – 2.8 mil/h
R$ 6.1 mil – 14.3 mil/h
Charter · 🇧🇷 Brazil
US$ 1.3 mil – 1.6 mil/h
R$ 6.7 mil – 8.2 mil/h
Operate = direct cost/hour (fuel + maintenance + engine); excludes fixed costs (hangar, crew, insurance). World: intermediate single-engine turbine (4-6 pax) ~$1,200-$2,500/hr and light single ~$500-$1,500/hr per flyhangar7/wingsair 2025 guides; the fast 5-seat 500E sits at the upper end, ~$1,200-$2,800/hr. BR: Flapper (2026) quotes single-engine turbine R$7,000-R$8,700/hr (~$1,300-$1,610 at R$5.4/USD); intermediate 'Esquilo/Squirrel' class R$10,000-R$15,000/hr. No 500E-specific BR rate published; bracketed by single-turbine class.
How we read this price · 6 sources · researched 04/06/2026
Pre-owned asking from real public listings (Jun 2026): HeliTrader two 1989 500E at $995k (11,948 TT) and $1.3M (7,254 TT); Controller cites 500E range $1.3M-$2.5M and MD/MCDD 500E average ~$1.175M; new-production 500E list ~$1.9M (MD Helicopters, Q2 2024). 500D predecessors (1977-1982) ask $675k-$850k. DOC variable = aircraftcostcalculator MD 500E ($253,872/yr variable / 300 hrs @ $9/gal = ~$846/hr; total incl. fixed ~$2,178/hr). NOTE: real 500E asking (995k-2.5M) runs partly below the heli_medium_turbine sanity floor (1.5M) since the 5-seat 500E straddles light/medium single-turbine; values kept to sourced market data rather than inflated to band.
Market estimates for guidance only, not a firm quote. Confirm the value with a broker/appraiser before any transaction.
Temporal identity
First flight
—
FAA cert.
—
ANAC cert.
—
Deliveries start
—
Units produced
4.700
O MD500, aqui na versão E, é o helicóptero monoturbina derivado do Hughes 500, em produção desde 1968 e reconhecido pelo porte compacto e pela fuselagem arredondada. Cruza a 130 kt, tem alcance de 233 nm e teto operacional de 16000 ft, com peso máximo de decolagem de 1361 kg. Acomoda 4 ocupantes em configuração típica e até 5 no arranjo máximo. Nesta página estão a ficha técnica, o custo operacional estimado por hora de voo e a frota registrada no Brasil, com matrículas, operadores e evolução ao longo do tempo.
Typical factory configuration (curated data). The drawing below is schematic and at approximate scale; the actual layout varies by interior and year.
Cabin to scale: cross-section and profile
front cross-section · person = 1.75 m
Length
1,07 m
Width
1,37 m
Height
1,32 m
Volume
—
Baggage
—
History
Origem militar OH-6 Cayuse no Vietnam, 1.420 unidades produzidas
O MD 500 nasceu como projeto militar OH-6 Cayuse do US Army nos anos 60, competiu com Bell 206 (LOH program) e venceu a primeira competição em 1965. Hughes produziu 1.420 OH-6 entre 1965-1970 que serviram intensivamente no Vietnam em reconnaissance e light attack. Versão civil Hughes 369 estreou em 1968. Após Hughes ser comprada pela McDonnell Douglas em 1984, virou MD 500 (depois MD Helicopters em 1999, hoje empresa independente em Mesa, Arizona).
Variantes militares ainda em produção, AH-6 Little Bird Special Forces
MD Helicopters produz hoje variantes militares MH-6/AH-6 Little Bird para US Army Special Operations (160th SOAR) e exportação. AH-6i armado com FN .50 cal, lança-foguetes Hydra-70, Hellfire missiles. MH-6M Little Bird transporta SOF operators externos (sentados em pranchas laterais). Programa militar mantém MD Helicopters viva, civil é nicho menor mas ativo. No Brasil há frota muito pequena de MD 500 civil (~10 unidades), com presença histórica em ENG e treinamento na década de 1990.
Model with no documented lineage in the manufacturer's line.
Curiosities and highlights
Benefits
Rotor 5-pás é único da categoria, vibração mínima
O MD 500 tem rotor principal de 5 pás (vs. 2 pás do Bell 206/505 e 3-pás de Hughes 300), característica rara em single-turbine leve. Rotor 5-pás reduz vibrações em 40% vs. 2-pás equivalente, melhora performance em hover e adiciona redundância (perda parcial de uma pá não é catastrófica). Combinada à cabine egg-shaped aerodinâmica e velocidade 135 KTAS (alta para categoria), MD 500 é referência de smoothness e speed em pequeno turbine.
Variantes NOTAR (MD 520N/600N) eliminam rotor de cauda
MD Helicopters desenvolveu tecnologia NOTAR (NO TAil Rotor), em vez de rotor de cauda convencional, um sistema de fluxo de ar (compressor + slots na boom) compensa torque do rotor principal via efeito Coanda. Variantes MD 520N (single-turbine, 5 PAX) e MD 600N (single-turbine, 8 PAX) usam NOTAR, eliminando rotor de cauda, reduzindo ruído externo em 60% e aumentando segurança em solo (sem hazard de tail rotor). Tecnologia única no mercado, Bell, Airbus e Robinson não oferecem NOTAR.
Limitations
MD Helicopters teve histórico turbulento de bankruptcy
MD Helicopters passou por problemas financeiros sérios, comprada pela RDM Holding em 1999, vendida para Patriarch Partners em 2005, declarou Chapter 11 em 2022. Bain Capital Credit + MB Aerospace adquiriram ativos em 2022 e relançaram operação em Mesa, Arizona. Histórico de bankruptcy gerou preocupação sobre suporte de longo prazo, operadores hesitam em comprar novo. Frota usada continua suportada via third-party MROs especializados em Hughes/MD legacy.
Curiosities
Magnum P.I. e Black Hawk Down, MD 500 em filmes icônicos
MD 500 (especificamente MD 500D/E) virou estrela de cinema/TV: série 'Magnum P.I.' (1980-1988) usou Hughes 500D pintado de vermelho como aircraft de Higgins; filme 'Black Hawk Down' (2001) mostra MD 530F operados pelo 160th SOAR (Night Stalkers) em Mogadíscio 1993; série '24' usou MD 500 em operações táticas. Versatilidade aerobática e cabine egg-shaped icônica fazem do MD 500 o helicóptero mais filmado de Hollywood. No Brasil, série 'Linha Direta Justiça' (Globo) também já usou MD 500.
A new MD Helicopters MD500 E starts at US$ 1.5M (factory price). On the used market the value varies with year and flight hours; see real listings on this model's Market tab.
What is the range of the MD Helicopters MD500 E?+
The maximum range is 233 nm (233 NM · 432 km).
How fast is the MD Helicopters MD500 E?+
Cruise speed is 130 kt, equivalent to 241 km/h.
How many passengers does the MD Helicopters MD500 E seat?+
The MD Helicopters MD500 E seats up to 5 passengers, crew not included.
How many MD Helicopters MD500 E are there in Brazil?+
There are 14 units registered in the RAB-ANAC (data as of 9/22/2026).
Who operates the MD Helicopters MD500 E in Brazil?+
13 distinct operators operate 14 units of the MD Helicopters MD500 E in the RAB-ANAC: 4 in air taxi (RBAC 135) and 10 in private operation (RBAC 91), concentrated in SP, RJ and PR (data as of 9/22/2026). Name, fleet and base of each operator are on this model's Analytics tab and in the operators directory.
How much does it cost to operate a MD Helicopters MD500 E per hour?+
Jet Tracker estimate: about US$ 1,351 per flight hour at 400 h/year, of which US$ 620 per hour is variable cost (fuel, engine program, maintenance reserves) plus US$ 292,300 per year of fixed cost (crew, hangar, insurance), under Jet Tracker's default assumptions (Southeast Brazil, in-house crew, 400 h/year). Run your own scenario on this model's Costs tab.
