From a small, unheated barn on a Pennsylvania farm to an 81-acre world-class rotary wing facility — Carson Helicopters has spent over six decades pushing the boundaries of what helicopters can do.
He saw the people who worked with him as family, and always appreciated everything they did to make his dreams a reality.
Born in Philadelphia in 1931, Frank Carson discovered his passion for aviation as a young boy at the Franklin Institute. The son of a locksmith, he would grow into one of the most innovative figures in the history of rotary wing aviation.
After serving in the Pennsylvania National Guard and the U.S. Army — where he learned to maintain and repair helicopters — Frank brought that hands-on engineering instinct back home. In 1958, he started Carson Helicopters out of a small, unheated barn on a 25-acre farm in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, building and modifying aircraft from spare parts with the Carson nameplate.
Frank spent decades pioneering new applications for helicopters — from heli-construction and ship unloading in Saudi Arabia to firefighting, timber logging, and airborne gravity surveys. His crowning technical achievement was the S-61 Composite Main Rotor Blade: a bolt-on modification that transformed the aircraft's performance and was ultimately selected for the VH-3D Marine One, the presidential helicopter of the United States.
Recognized with the Sikorsky Pioneer Award in 1998, Frank remained a hands-on presence at the company he built — still showing up five days a week in his nineties, always with new ideas. His wife Terril worked alongside him for 45 years, and their three sons — Clayton, Jad, and Jordan — continue leading the company he founded.
Frank Carson starts the company in an unheated barn on a 25-acre farm in Perkasie, PA. Begins modifying Bell 47 helicopters and building aircraft from spare parts.
Expands into Sikorsky S-55 and S-58 helicopters for construction contracts, entering the heavy-lift business that would define the company.
Carson acquires its first Sikorsky S-61, beginning the company's deep specialization in the platform that would become its core expertise.
Pioneering innovative helicopter applications worldwide — from heli-construction to unloading ships in Saudi Arabia, firefighting, logging, and airborne gravity surveys.
Frank Carson receives the prestigious Sikorsky Pioneer Award recognizing his lifetime of contributions to rotary wing aviation.
FAA certifies the Carson Composite Main Rotor Blade for the S-61 — delivering +1,700 lbs lift, +15 knots speed, and +50 miles range as a bolt-on modification.
Partners with the British Royal Navy to replace metal blades with Carson Composite blades on 50 Westland Sea King HC4 helicopters for Afghanistan operations.
Partners with Sikorsky to develop the S-61T. U.S. State Department signs open-ended contract for S-61T helicopters for diplomatic transport missions.
Delivers two fully refurbished S-61T helicopters in naval configuration to the Argentine Navy — 8 months from contract to acceptance.
Expanding into anti-drone helicopter systems while maintaining position as the global leader in S-61 MRO, modernization, and composite blade manufacturing.
What started as a 25-acre farm has grown into one of the most comprehensive helicopter MRO and engineering facilities in the world — all in Perkasie, Pennsylvania.
Full-service maintenance, overhaul, and modification capabilities for the S-61 family
Climate-controlled storage for 30,000+ unique S-61 parts
Full blast and paint capabilities for complete aircraft refinishing
Direct flight test and delivery operations from the facility
We're always looking for talented people who share our passion for rotary wing aviation.