Originally Posted by
n5296s
Speaking as someone who has thought a lot about what helicopter to buy... though sadly not quite there yet financially, and not sure I'd really buy one anyway (the economics of owning a private heli for recreational flying are truly awful).
All but one of my ~150 heli hours are in R44s, the other hour in a G2. I really enjoyed flying the G2 and I'm not super happy with the teetering rotor in the R44. But on balance if I did buy one, I think it would be the R44, for the extra seats and because with the hydraulics it is easier to fly.
Now if there really was a G4, that would be a different story - especially if it had hydraulics. I don't think the extra initial cost would be a big factor, especially since for low-time flying the time-based overhaul limit on the R44 would kick in long before the hours limit did - making the R44 a lot more expensive than it initially appears.
If you can keep the R44 flying more than 200 hours a year the economics are unbeatable. That includes all necessary funds for the "big overhaul". The only gotcha is cash flow. If you buy it new and charge yourself, and potentially others, back an appropriate amount, and bank the money, it will be there when you need it at overhaul time. If you spend it, well, perhaps not the wisest financial desicion, eh?
Similarly, if you buy a used ship you will get hit with an overhaul before you have banked enough to pay for it, but you will make it up on the backside if you keep the machine through the proportionate number of hours after the overhaul. Either way, fly it 200 hours a year and that keeps the insurance cost per hour in the reasonable range and gets you to overhaul before 12 years. Assuming you get a good deal on insurance, you can stay right around $300/hr (no profit) including all fixed and operating costs. You know a G4 will be more (but better not be more than a 66 or it won't sell). It's not hard to keep it moving 200 hours a year. A couple or three guys as named insured plus you and it'll move. Or enter into agreement with a local school, etc. It's not hard to keep a 44 working unless you live in the boonies.