Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

Contributor

Mark Huber

Kaman announced yesterday that it is ending production of its K-Max synchromesh rotor utility helicopter after a production run of 60 helicopters over the course of 30 years. The company said the move is part of its strategy to eliminate “non-value-added activities” and improve financial performance.&nbsp;
“Given low demand and variation in annual deliveries, coupled with low profitability and large working capital inventory requirements, K-Max does not deliver the most compelling growth opportunity for Kaman going forward," the company&nbsp;said.&nbsp;“As such, Kaman will discontinue K-Max and K-Max Titan production this year. Kaman will continue to support the existing K-Max fleet in operation, including providing operators with repair, spare parts, and fleet services as well as training.”
The K-Max found a niche market with logging, external load, and aerial firefighting operators. It is unique in that it could deliver an external load of up to 6,000 pounds at sea level, more than the helicopter’s empty weight of 5,145 pounds. The helicopter&nbsp;also was proven on the battlefield by the U.S. Marine Corps between 2011 and 2014 in Afghanistan, when two unmanned models were used for supply delivery missions.
In 2020, the company said it intended&nbsp;to deliver unmanned technology kits for existing K-Max owners and buyers of new-build&nbsp;helicopters beginning in 2021. Helicopters so equipped were branded the K-Max Titan. The first Titan flew in September 2021. More recently, the company said it was working with Near Earth Autonomy and the Naval Air Systems Command&nbsp;to develop an intelligent autonomy system for the helicopter.
Kaman initially produced 38 of the helicopters between 1991 and 2003, when it halted production due to anemic demand. It resumed production in 2016 after a resurgence in market interest that&nbsp;ultimately&nbsp;was not sustained. The company said it would take $54 million of non-cash charges related to the write-down of existing aircraft, contract costs,&nbsp;excess spare parts, and equipment inventories.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Kaman Ending Production of K-Max Heavy-lift Helicopter

Kaman will discontinue its K-Max, saying production of the heavy-lift helicopter is not a "compelling" growth opportunity.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Neelam Mathews

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Single-engined rotorcraft will compete with Hindustan Aeronautics’ Light Utility Helicopter

Tata and Airbus Set To Build H125 Helicopters in India

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Evacuation of Ukrainian troops from Mariupol inspired efforts to "reinvent helicopters"

Lithuanian Start-up Takes New Approach to Emergency Air Mobility

Matt Thurber

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

System would encourage operators to add equipment to prevent accidents

VAST Effort Explores Helicopter Safety Rating System

Aero Asset’s annual report noted a four-year peak in supply in Q4 2024

Single-engine Helicopter Market Stable, Supply Climbs

Helicopter sales for 2024 climbed 10% over 2023, including 58 Super Pumas

Airbus Helicopter Deliveries, Orders Climb During 2024

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

Purchase marks company’s first investment in utility helicopter segment

Fundamental Advisors Acquires Utility Operator HeloAir

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

Works includes new avionics, fresh paint, ultra-leather seats, and pop-out floats

Meridian Delivers 29th Refurbished Bell 206 to FlyNYON

Jessica Reed

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

In this article

Kaman Aerospace

More In Rotorcraft