OO-MDP Schweizer 269C / 300C c/n S1787 - heliport Emmen in Holland - 21 November 2006

The first of two prototypes of the two-seat Hughes Model 269 helicopter flew first in October 1956, only 13 months after commencement of design work. The basic design sparked US Army interest to order 5, designated YHO-2-HU, for evaluation. As a result Hughes won a US Army contract for a light helicopter primary trainer and 792 were built as the TH55A Osage. Deliveries of the commercial Model 269A, designated Hughes 200, started in 1961. The three-seat Model 269B, designated Hughes 300, flew first in 1964. In 1969, the 300 was followed by the improved Model 269C, designated Hughes 300C. Since 1983, Schweizer has built the 269C/300C, initially under licence for Hughes. Schweizer Aircraft Corp. acquired all rights to the helicopter in 1986. Already over 3400 helicopters of the 269/300/TH55 are built, of which 2800 by Hughes before production was transferred to Schweizer. In 2005, Schweizer Aircraft Corp. became a wholly owned Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. subsidiary.

The 1999-built Schweizer 269C s/n S-1787 was test flown with the temporary registration N69A. The helicopter was registered OO-MDP in Belgium on 10 September 1999. After being sold in the Netherlands, the aircraft arrived on delivery at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen on 1 November 2006. The Belgian registration OO-MDP was cancelled on 29 January 2007. The Schweizer was registered PH-ATT with a privat owner in the Netherlands on 30 January 2007. Schweizer 269C OO-MDP was photographed at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands.