Freewheel:
What you're saying is that the R66 will have no better performance/load carrying capacity than an Enstrom 480B or even an FH1100, at a similar cost and all the drawbacks that half the world seems to loathe of anything with an R on the side.
Izzat what I said? Kinda sounds like me. I don't agree though that "half the world" loathes anything with an R on the side. "R's" sales numbers would seem to be counter to that.
I agree that there will be issues with the extremely long mast, but given that there are a number of R44's that shake themselves crazy on the ground, I expect the R66 will be even worse.
You know it!
The biggest advantage, agreed, is the marketing/familiarity of the person buying their 2nd helicopter.
I think it will probably be the 3rd place in sales, but if the R44 is at 800ish a year, the R22 about 400, 200 of these things per annum is probably going to be quite a return.
If Frankie sells 200 R-66's per year, he will go to his grave a very happy (and very rich) man. And frankly (no pun intended), I see exactly that happeneing.