Originally Posted by
Thomas coupling
In the right hands, a Robbo is as safe as any other cheap end chopper.
But because Frank made them so accessible, every tom dick and harry who thought flying helicopters was a childhood dream, now realises that by taking out a medium sized mortgage, they too, can fly 3 dimensionally.
Robbo's are flimsy, sensitive, unforgiving in turbulence and cheap cheap cheap. You get what you pay for. A lada or a mondeo?
I think the flaw of the whole debate is that you guys compare a civilian, consumer product against military hardware. It should come at no surprise that a Sherman tank has better off-road capabilities than a Corolla, and also would provide better survivability if you run into a tree. You are not stating more than the obvious.
I suspect that most who make condescending remarks about those cheap, cheap, cheap Corollas are themselves lowly paid bus drivers, and would never have the money to buy their own car. I have yet to see a true oligarch who owns a twin for his private transport making mocking remarks about the masses who can only afford to drive around in a small sedan.
On a different note: While a proper turbine single might be four times the price of a R44, at USD 500k a Robbie is far from accessible to the masses. Maybe the last time you checked the RHC pricelist was in the eighties? In most countries, given the income structures and the cost of borrowing, only top level executive managers, or a few successful enterpreneurs, can afford to buy and maintain their own piston helicopter next to running their family.