Enstrom on the rocks?
I am orginally a fixed winger and recieved my private add-on for helicopters 2 years ago. I learned in the R-22 and loved it's attributes but never felt real confident with only about 40 hours in make and model. Plus, I never felt safe doing autos with my Instructor , let alone solo.
Then I purchased a 1980 Enstrom F-28C-2 and received the commercial add-on and also plan on getting the CFI add-on this summer. I now have about 100 hours in the Enstrom and 40 in the R-22.
The Enstrom has really improved my confidence because of it's "hands off stability" in forward flight and it's fantastic autorotation characteristics. The only issue of transitioning from the R-22 to the Enstrom was leanring how to manage the manual throttle, since there is no governor or mechanical correlator. After a few hours of dual instruction, I was able to proceed on my own solo. Soon, I was able to do all types of autos, even full touch downs with confidence and without an Instructor.
Then, I was able to manage the throttle by using my ears and not just the tachometer, as well as by the feel. That enabled me to practice loss of tail rotor to a full touch down landing, since I am comfortable using the throttle all the time. When I take other helicopter pilots up in my Enstrom, they are so impressed because the stigma becomes a myth.
I don't want to become over-confident, especially since I am still a low time rotorhead, but I do feel that the Enstrom has made me a better and safer pilot. I am also an A&P Mechanic, have been to the factory school for training and am highly impressed with the personnel at Enstrom!