To me this aircraft is a big red herring, it may be nice to fly, but from a cost point of view it will not be able to compete with an R22. I have no idea how a training school will be able to make money from it.
Fluffy
I really hope it is a success. We need good new initiatives and healthy competition.
Agree it has been launched at a difficult time, and training schools will be nervous about such big capital costs and such a new product.
For someone going on to fly European helicopters it must make more sense than an R22. Although, IMO, the S.300C. is also worth the extra cost over the R22.