As a summary answer to the original question "Its bloody brilliant" (helicopter flying that is).
If you want to go a long way, fast, go in a FW. I crewed down to Barcelona in a TB20 a while ago. Going in the R44 would have taken about three days, taking into account range/ speed/ etc but it was a six hour trip in a 20.
The flying experience in rotary is very different and requires some different and some complimentary flying and airpersonship skills.
It is more expensive (or is it that FW is cheap? discuss) but you can find ways of reducing the cost through group ownership OR group flying (ie two people split the cost of Sheffield to lands End and back and fly half each. The half when your navigating and not hands on is still front seat flying).
Give it a go. You may join the rotary club but you will never leave ...
