It took me 14.5 hours to solo in a Hughes 300C. I flew every day learning to hover. Initially I was terrified of autorotations but after I got my commercial license I began to like them and became quite good at them. I never liked the R22 and never flew in one. My instructor friend said they were a bit twitchy. I love the 300 series and owned a 269B, the less powerful model that preceded the 300C. They look and fly like real helicopters unlike the R22 with its unusual cyclic. The only thing wrong with the 300 series is that they are a bit slow with only 80 mph cruise. Other than that I can't say anything bad about them.