Enstrom Helicopter history

Designed and built by Rudy J. Enstrom, the Enstrom F-28 light helicopter was flown in experimental form on 12 November 1960 as a two-seat machine with a two-bladed main rotor and an un-skinned tubular rear fuselage.

- First flight of the Enstrom Shark was on 26 May, 1962. it was the first of two three-seat pre-production models.

The company's first product was the piston-powered F-28 (1965). However, Enstrom had been removed from the company before that product came onto the market, although the company continued to carry his name.

In October 1968, a controlling interest in Enstrom was bought by Purex Industries, who wanted to develop a turbine powered version, a project that was not completed until over 20 years later.

The lack of success with this venture led the piston engine variants to languish and the Purex stake was bought by F. Lee Bailey, a well-known American criminal defense attorney, in January 1971, changing to the current name.

He also orchestrated the development and certification of the 280 Shark, which was introduced to the market in 1974.

The Enstrom 280C, FAA certified in 1975 and recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 25 best designs of that year.

Spitfire Mk 1: developed by the Spitfire Helicopter Company of Lynnfield, Massachusetts, from the basic Enstrom F-28A design, the Spitfire Mk 1 appeared in 1976, powered by a 313kW Allison 250-C20B turboshaft

280L Hawk: work on a four-seat version of the 280C began in January 1978 and a prototype was first flown on 27 December 1978.

Encouraged, Bailey embarked the design of a four-place stretched version of the Shark (designated 280L Hawk), but the combination of technical problems with this development and a cooling economy drained the company's financial reserves, and Bailey sold the company in 1979.

F28F Falcon: Basic model certified to FAR Pt 6 on 31 December 1980.

F-28F Falcon/280F: FAA certificated in January 1981, the F-28F and 280F were powered by the turbocharged 168kW Avco Lycoming.

However, full development was postponed indefinitely in 1983 following a change in company ownership

First delivery in October 1986

The 480 series of Enstrom turbine helicopters were introduced upon FAA certification in November 1993.

The company was sold to an unnamed Swiss investor in 2000; Kamen remained with the company as an advisor.

It built only six units in 2010.

By early 2013 with Chinese investment the company was expanding, having increased its workforce to 200 people and planned to expand its physical facilities, due to increased sales, mostly in Asia.