Kaman H43 Huskie

[Forgotten Field]

Is anybody operating one of these? Has anybody ever run across one of these on the market? Did the H43 ever get a standard airworthiness certificate?

[JBoyle]

Yes, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources flew a couple in the 70s for fire fighting.

Today, an outfit in Idaho "Precision Helicopters" rebuilds them for logging. and other ext.lift operations. Check on some websites. It's nice to know there are a few still in use.

And Kaman bought a rebuilt one as a trainer for it's K-Max external load ship.

[Roger Cain]

There were a number of them still operating in the late 1990's as crop dusters. I saw a pair of them down in Arizona back in 1994.

[mustangpilot]

There are 5 of these birds still flying. All in Restricted Category.

[Chad Veich]

The pair in Arizona were operated by Mosely Aviation as dusters and for heavy lift work. I think they actually had three or four that were flyable at some point. One was lost in a fatal accident 7-8 years ago when the rotors collided. Shortly after that the Mosely's retired from dusting work and the Kaman's moved on to points unkown. (to me at least) This is the same Mosely Aviation that hosted a bunch of Bob Bean's Corsairs as well as the Smirnoff Bearcat and some other warbirds back in the late '60s.

[Forgotten Field]

Thanks much for the info on the aircraft. I found them on the FAA database, but some of the registrations looked like they were revoked. Interesting aircraft history...

[wendovertom]

Hawkins & Power still one available for a reasonable amount

Tom P.

[Matt Gunsch]

I used to work for Moseley, and got to fly in the Husky during some spraying. While I was there, we had 3 flying, but over the yrs, I believe all have gone down for various reasons. The one North of Phx killed Ernie Moseley was the final one. They lost one due to fuel starvation when the pilot did not turn on all the boost pumps.
While I was there, I got the last of the Corsair parts, a couple of hydraulic cylinders and a tailhook and mounting arm. I also have ALOT of fuel and hydraulic pump cores. Anyone looking for a fuel pump or Hydraulic pump ?

Matt Gunsch,
A&P,IA,Private Pilot
Crew Chief of TBM-3E, DC-3C, B-25J, PBY-5a
Riding member of the
2003 world champion drill team
Arizona Precision Motorcycle Drill Team

[Chad Veich]

Matt, I lived just a mile or so from the Moseley's and used to watch the Husky chug past quite often. Ernie and I were good friends and went to high school together. I remember hearing of the accident on the news and hoping against hope that it was not Ernie in the pilots seat.

[skybolt2003]

When I was a kid in the early 70's we had an avocado grove in SoCal. My dad contracted with someone who had one and used it for frost prevention during the Winter months. Frost forms when it's cold and still and settles on the low lying areas. This guy would fly over our grove (and house, which was basically in the middle) in the middle of the night and basically stir up the air preventing frost formation (supposedly). In hindsight, it was pretty terrifying - an old piston-engine helo in dubious condition hovering at low altitude, in the dark, in very rugged (some would say mountainous) terrain, with nothing but a spotlight. What was my dad thinking?

[mustangpilot]

I just bought an HH-43 from an insurance company after it crashed last year. It had a MR HEAD failure. I hope to make one fly.

[Broken-Wrench]

I saw one flying over the house 10 minutes ago going to Kaman. They also have seasprites all over their compound. I conld not belive it!!!!

[airnutz]

I saw one flying over the house 10 minutes ago going to Kaman!!!!

IIRC from my youth..NOISY BASTARD..wasn't it?

[Chad Veich]

Hmmm, I recall the Husky being very quiet for a helicopter. The Mosely dusters used to come right over the house at a couple hundred feet and I generally wouldn't know they were coming until they were right on top of me. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong? (it has been over a decade ago)

[Broken-Wrench]

This was a turbine and quiet but it was descending? I have nothing to compare it to as I have never seen a husky fly.