Enstrom Helicopter Closing Down, Filing for Bankruptcy

Enstrom Helicopter announced on Wednesday that after 64 years of near-continuous operations, it will be closing its doors on January 21, 2022.

As a result of several financial difficulties, Enstrom’s owners have directed the company to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Parts, technical support, overhauls, and new aircraft will no longer be available from the factory, with all existing contracts and agreements becoming null and void.

According to a company press release, the closure marks the end of a storied helicopter brand. According to Asian Sky Media’s 2020 Helicopter Fleet Report, Enstrom had a total of 47 aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2020 – a drop of two aircraft from 2018.

“We’ve built more than 1300 helicopters, operated in over 50 countries around the world,” said Enstrom’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Dennis Martin, in UpperMichigansSource. “Millions of hours flown, tens of thousands of pilots trained, think of all the lives these aircraft have touched. It’s an incredible legacy, and the people of Northern Michigan and Wisconsin who helped start the company, and especially the hard-working employees who kept it going all these years should be proud of what we accomplished.”

Enstrom delivered its final helicopters, a pair of 280FX’s for the Peru Air Force, in December 2021. “I can’t say enough about the team of people we have here,” Emstrom’s President, Matt Francour told UpperMichigansSource. “They’ve continued to work throughout the pandemic and our financial difficulties to get aircraft out the door and supply parts and technical support to our large in-service fleet. Their dedication to our customers is truly special.”

Enstrom wishes to thank all its past and present employees, dealers, service centers, and most importantly, customers. Butzel & Long Law Firm, located in Troy, MI, will be handling the bankruptcy.

Francour has further noted that multiple groups have already expressed interest in buying Enstrom’s assets out of bankruptcy. As he says, “I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but I have a feeling we’ll be back.”