Enstrom Helicopter Corporation is a helicopter manufacturer headquartered at the Menominee–Marinette Twin County Airport in Michigan, United States. The company has been in operation since it was founded on December 22, 1959, by mining engineer Rudolph J. “Rudy” Enstrom, initially as the R.J. Enstrom Corp. The company’s products primarily consist of helicopters, and the current CEO is Matt Francour. According to revenue reports, Enstrom generated US$37.5 million in 2013, and had around 200 employees at the time.
Enstrom has had several changes in ownership over the years, with the company being bought by the Chongqing Helicopter Investment Corporation in 2013. However, it went out of business in January 2022. In May 2022, the company was purchased by Surack Enterprises from bankruptcy, and production was restarted, with their first helicopter being completed in January 2023.
The company’s first product was the piston-powered F-28, introduced in 1965, while the design of a turbine-powered version was only completed over 20 years later. Enstrom has since introduced several models, including the 280 Shark and the four-place stretched version of the Shark, known as the 280L Hawk. Despite encountering technical problems and financial difficulties along the way, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has remained an established player in the American helicopter industry.