RotorWay Helicopter Manufacturing Company, formerly known as RotorWay International, was a manufacturer of kit helicopters based in Chandler, Arizona. The company was founded in 1961 by B.J. Schramm and was originally named RotorWay Aircraft. The company produced its first production helicopter, the Scorpion, in 1967, which was aimed at the sport-flying public. The Scorpion was priced at $6,300 and was the first real kit helicopter on the market that flew. Over the years, the company made several improvements to the Scorpion and introduced the Scorpion II in 1971, which was capable of carrying two lightweight people.
In 2007, RotorWay International was acquired by a small group of investors comprising the company’s upper-level management, including Grant Norwitz, CEO, Bill Adams, COO, and Judy Craven, CFO. The company was renamed the RotorWay Helicopter Manufacturing Company in 2015. However, in 2021, the company ceased business and its plant, designs, and assets were purchased by a new company, Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing. RotorWay has a rich history of producing innovative helicopters and contributed to the development of kit helicopters in the aviation industry.