| F-28 / 280 | |
|---|---|
 Enstrom 280FX Shark | |
| General information | |
| Type | Light helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Enstrom Helicopter Corporation |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1965-present |
| Introduction date | 1965 |
| Variants | Enstrom TH180 Spitfire Mark I |
| Developed into | Enstrom 480 |
The Enstrom F-28 and 280 are a family of small, light piston engine powered helicopters produced by the Enstrom Helicopter Corporation. [1]
Since delivering their first helicopter shortly after Federal Aviation Administration type certification of the F-28 model in April 1965, Enstrom helicopter has produced, as of 2007 [update] , approximately 1,200 aircraft. [2]
The company produces three models, the F-28, the more aerodynamic 280 and the turbine-powered 480, each with their own variants. The F-28 and 280 both use Lycoming piston engines, virtually identical to those found in general aviation fixed-wing aircraft. [1]
The aircraft is operated by a large number of small commercial and flight training operators, most operating one or two aircraft.
Chile 
Colombia 
Peru 
United States 
Venezuela Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory [14]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
The Kamov Ka-25 is a naval helicopter, developed for the Soviet Navy in the USSR from 1958.
An aircraft engine, often referred to as an aero engine, is the power component of an aircraft propulsion system. Aircraft using power components are referred to as powered flight. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines, although a few have been rocket powered and in recent years many small UAVs have used electric motors.
The Aérospatiale Alouette II is a French light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aérospatiale. It was the first production helicopter powered by a gas turbine engine instead of the heavier conventional piston powerplant.
The Mil Mi-34 is a light helicopter designed by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant in either a two or four seat configuration for utility and training. It was first flown on 17 November 1986 and introduced at the Paris Air Show in 1987. The Mi-34 entered production in 1993, and is capable of performing aerobatic manoeuvres, including rolls and loops.
The Kaman HH-43 Huskie is a helicopter developed and produced by the American rotorcraft manufacturer Kaman Aircraft. It is perhaps most distinctive for its use of twin intermeshing rotors, having been largely designed by the German aeronautical engineer Anton Flettner.
The Hiller OH-23 Raven is a two, three, or four-place, military light observation helicopter based on the Hiller Model 360. The Model 360 was designated by the company as the UH-12, which was first flown in 1948. Initially it was a two-place helicopter powered by a piston engine that entered service in the late 1940s, it went on to be a popular military and civilian light helicopter in the late 20th century.
The Schweizer S300 series family of light utility helicopters was originally produced by Hughes Helicopters, as a development of the Hughes 269. Later manufactured by Schweizer Aircraft, and currently produced by Schweizer RSG, the basic design has been in production for over 50 years. The single, three-bladed main rotor and piston-powered S300 is mostly used as a cost-effective platform for training and agriculture.
The Hughes TH-55 Osage is a piston-powered light training helicopter produced for the United States Army. It was also produced as the Model 269 family of light utility helicopters, some of which were marketed as the Model 300. The Model 300C was produced and further developed by Schweizer after 1983.
The Schweizer 330 and S333 are turbine-powered developments of the Schweizer 300 light piston-powered helicopter. As of 2007, only the Schweizer 333 remains in production. In February 2009, the 333 was rebranded as the Sikorsky S-333. In 2018 the Schweizer R.S.G. bought the Schweizer Aircraft from Sikorsky Aircraft and it was rebranded as Schweizer S333 again.
The Enstrom Helicopter Corporation is an American helicopter aerospace manufacturer, based at the Menominee–Marinette Twin County Airport in Michigan, United States.
The Eurocopter EC635 is a multi-purpose light helicopter developed by Eurocopter as a military version of the Eurocopter EC135. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 8 people, including the pilot, and a range of military equipment or armaments. The helicopter is marketed for troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo transport, reconnaissance and surveillance and armed combat support missions.
The RotorWay Exec is a family of American two-bladed, skid-equipped, two-seat kit helicopters, manufactured by RotorWay International of Chandler, Arizona and supplied in kit form for amateur-construction.
The Enstrom 480 is a small, light helicopter produced by the Enstrom Helicopter Corporation.
The Robinson R66 is a helicopter designed and built by Robinson Helicopter Company. It has five seats, a separate cargo compartment and is powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine. The R66 is slightly faster and smoother than the piston-powered Robinson R44 from which it is derived. The R66 received both type and production certificates from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on October 25, 2010. The R66 is a larger and turbine powered derivative of the Robinson R22 and R44 family of helicopters.
The Gyrodyne RON Rotorcycle was a tiny, single-seat helicopter designed under contract for the United States Navy. in the mid-1950s. It later was redesigned for a U.S. Marine Corps requirement for a small personal helicopter that would fulfill an array of roles, including observation, liaison, small unit tactical maneuvers, and which could be dropped to downed airmen behind enemy lines to facilitate their escape.
The Kaman K-225 is an American experimental helicopter developed by Kaman Aircraft. One example was modified to become the world's first gas turbine-powered helicopter.
The Spitfire Mark I was a utility helicopter built in the United States in the late 1970s and intended for series production. In essence, the Mark I was an Enstrom F-28 that was modified to use an Allison 250 turboshaft engine and geared transmission in place of the original piston engine and system of vee belts. The resulting powerplant installation was lighter and more compact, which allowed for additional cargo or fuel.
The Spitfire Mark II, later given the name Tigershark, was a utility helicopter built in the United States in the late 1970s and intended for series production. It was a further evolution of the Spitfire Mark I design, a turbine-powered conversion of the Enstrom F-28. Although airframe changes on the Mark I had been minimal, the Mark II had a substantially redesigned fuselage that rearranged the F-28's 2+2 seating to move the pilot's seat forward in the nose by itself and add a bench seat for three passengers abreast behind it. The leftmost seat on the bench could be fitted with dual controls. The fuselage was lengthened, and the powerplant installation was mounted well to the rear. The Mark II still used the dynamic components of the F-28, plus some of its airframe.
The Enstrom TH180 is a single piston-engined two-place training helicopter manufactured by Enstrom in the United States.
Menominee Regional Airport is a public use airport located 1 mile (2 km) northwest of the central business district of Menominee, Michigan, a city in Menominee County, Michigan, United States. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025, in which it is categorized as a local general aviation facility.
