Yes mickjoe. I'm finding some of the points here a bit astounding. To make a generalisation about "I wouldn't hover out of ground effect" is mad.
All helicopters have to be able to hover OGE - look at the POH and you'll see the graph that proves this point.
And, as with all things flying, it's all to do with weight, power and wind. Plainly, any heli at MTOW is going to be borderline if there's nil wind or a tailwind.
The best heli for OGE hovering is the the one that's not on its limits for weight and power. And that could be a 22 with an hour of fuel and just a pilot.
And any heli with its nose stuffed into a headwind > 15 kts will be very happy.
High/OGE hovers are of course a part of training - and they are used to demonstrate incipient vortex ring.
Last edited by JimBall; 7th May 2007 at 17:07.