Hughes 269B

[Brien23]

I am looking to buy a Hughes 269B. looking in the aircraft bluebook price digest, I should be able to find one avg. retail for about 50K or 60K US. While the Bluebook does give an educated guess as to value and purchase price, the two are not always in sync. Is it that people are asking the higher prices or fishing for someone that will pay it, or are they getting that price?

[rick1128]

If you are using the 'aircraft bluebook', their prices seem a little light. Helivalues seems to be more in tuned with current helicopter prices. For the price range you state, about all you will find are runout projects. There appears to be no price difference between the A models and the B's. Considering what the new ones are going for, the market is pulling the prices for the older ones up with them.

Keep looking, there are a couple of descent B's out there on the market right now. Study the component times carefully, you will always find one to two items that are getting close to timing out. If you pick the right helicopter they will not be too expensive. Also remember what they are asking for is not what they will accept. I am in the same market right now and am looking at a B or early C model.

Good luck.

[helicfii]

For your sake, I hope it's got the later blades (no rivets) and no mechanical dampers.....that would make a difference in price!!

[gyrotyro]

I bought a 300B to learn on and obtained my license in just over 3 weeks in the UK.

Whilst it is a fine machine it lacks the additional power of the 300C that I now own.

The other benefits of the 300C are the elastomeric dampers, the ability to carry 3 good sized people AND full fuel of 185 litres. The useful load is 950 lbs so do the maths. It also has 24 volt electrics which give it a lot more oomph on starting.

The 300C can cope with more confined and hot area operations.

I fly at 80/85 knots using 40/45 LPH and can fly at 90 kts if I want to burn 50 LPH.

My machine is currently for sale as I am developing an airfield in France into an air-park so email me if you would like more information.

I have some video clips of my machine flying 3 up on my web sites here if you want to see them. It may take a minute for the video to load.

http://web.mac.com/comancheman/iWeb/WA%20at%20home/Arriving.html


http://web.mac.com/comancheman/iWeb/G-BMWA/Photos.html

Anyway, if you are looking in the long term I would recommend that you go for the 300C.

[gyrotyro]

PS

Although the £ is good against the $ at the moment bear in mind that you will have to go to the USA, have the machine inspected, dismantled, shipped, re-built and then re-inspected. Plus you will have to pay UK vat on the purchase price AND the shipping fees.

After which it will need to be put on the UK register if you want to use it to obtain your license as most UK instructors would not be able to teach you on an "N" reg machine. The engineers will doubtless find many items which were not looked after on the "N" maintenance regime and.....

Voila ..... the price is now the same as buying in Europe. It has nearly always been this way in the end.

[rick1128]

Gyro, since Brein is in the states, shipping and VAT will not be an issue. The B and CBi are very similar. Both have fuel injection and the same engine HP. The B actually has a little better performance. It has a lower GW and EtW, but a higher useful load. And yes you want the later blades.