ebay

[as355f1]

check this out

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=9883&item=4549911491&rd=1

[MightyGem]

What would one normally cost?

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Who's going to pay the postage costs?

[thecontroller]

who are "southern helicopters", and have they gone bust??

[EMS R22]

I wouldnt touch it with a 50 foot barge pole!

[jellycopter]

Sothern Helicopters Ltd are the import agents fro Rotorway within the UK.

I wouldn't touch this one with a 40 ft bargepole either! The current owner bought it and then tried to teach himself to fly it without training - with obvious results.

Last I heard was that the Permit to Fly had lapsed and that it needed a lot of repair work to bring it back up to an airworthy standard. This, I'm told includes some serious welding repairs to the main airframe. (at least this is why the last Ebay sale fell through - it may have been repaired since but I don't think so)

It's a great shame because it was a nice helicopter before the latest owner got his hands on it.

J

[Whirlybird]

jellycopter,

Thanks for that. I was looking at it and drooling...I've loved the Rotorway since I flew one for Today's Pilot and did a bit of research on them. Well, since I don't have that amount of dosh left, it's nice to know I don't really want it anyway.

MightyGem,
The kit sells for around £35,000-£40,000, depending on the rate of exchange, since they come from the USA. Good ones change hands for a similar sort of price I think...jellycopter knows more about this than I do. Anything going for much less...find out why, unless you want a lot of expensive work on your hands, and/or an interesting way to commit suicide. :eek:

The March 2005 Today's Pilot has more details, if anyone wants to know about Rotorways.

[noisy]

personally wokkas aren't my thing, but as a ppruner, I felt it my duty to point out.....

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2983&item=5579471633&rd=1

[muffin]

If you read the small print in the description it says that it comes ready for its annual which will be included in the sale. So presumably the repair work that Jellycopter mentioned has been done already?

[KevinLonghurst]

are we even discussing the right aircraft ? There have been 2 other Rotorways on Ebay in the last few weeks !

[muffin]

The one I am talking about which was the ex Southern Heli demo ship is directly accessed from the link in the first post to this thread

[KevinLonghurst]

can anyone actually substantiate these detrimental comments about G-BVTV.....I was considering bidding, until I saw this thread........

[wg13_dummy]

noisy, that is such a sad sight seeing the state of that Sioux. I almost feel like putting a massive bid in just to look after her!

[jellycopter]

KevinL,

This aircraft was up for sale on ebay last summer with a similar 'glowing' narrative. I believe it didn't sell (fell through) because of the expensive repairs required. Contact Jonathan Bull at Southern helicopters and he can give you the latest low down. It may have been repaired since last time; but I don't think it has - maybe I'm wrong! I'd like to be proven wrong as it would be great to see her in the air again and another PPruner enjoying the delights of a lovely little helicopter!

There a a few noce Rotorways for sale at the moment; if you're interested take a look at www.icbhelicopters.co.uk

J

[md 600 driver]

as355i
you missed the good one you didnt pass the reserve which was 12k
steve

[as355f1]

md 600

Yes would have been cheap at my bid of 9 grand but this is the second time its been on and for that money i would guess its a shed.
The one that i have posted a link to may be a better buy if its been repaired ok.
I would love to build my own if i had the time then i would no its history and i could spec it how i like

[KevinLonghurst]

call me a cynic........but I find it strange that a mystery, zero rated Ebayer is always at the top of the bidders list for this 'no reserve' heli. The guide price is circa £40k..................I wonder if 'someone' entered a proxy bid of £39,999 ?

[KevinLonghurst]

..........and now the mystery bidder has pulled out..........the plot thickens !

[bargainseller322]

Hi to all the Pilot Rumour Network,
To put the rumours straight, the only damage was very slight to the skids and tail rotor, only one heavy landing. All the work has been done by Southern Hilicopters and approved by the CAA, inspected and double checked. Over £10,000 has been spent on repairs. As seen by the Southern Helicopters test pilot who said its the best value helicopter in the World. Completely safe and ready to go! Fully repaired and prep'd ready for final sign off. Before you comment come and have a look at it or phone ourselves on 01404549050 or Southern Helicopters.
Many Thanks from www.UKLiquidations.com / Bargainseller322

[Thomas coupling]

£10,000 repair, Thats the price of an 800hr service for us!

Anyone who buys such a life critical item off EBay has got to be:

BARKING MAD

http://onfinite.com/libraries/460339/e98.jpg

[jellycopter]

BS322.

My sincere apologies for getting it wrong with respect to the completed repairs. - my information was out of date.

Nonetheless, I must question the validity of your statement about having had only slight damage to the tail rotor and landing gear.

Even assuming you changed the complete T/R assembly + belts + both skids + both cross-tubes + labour + re-certification you'd have a lot of change from £10K. Either the owner was ripped-off (even by a pessimistic estimate the bill would be no more then about £6K) or the damage was more serious than you are trying to make out. Something doesn't quite stack up.............

Please tell us how the bent mainframe components were rectified that were in evidence last year?

You also stated: As seen by the Southern Helicopters test pilot who said its the best value helicopter in the World I am one of the 2 Southern Helicopters test pilots and I think you'll find that was a generic statement relating to Rotorway helicopters as a whole and not the specific machine being offered by you for sale.

Rotorways are great machines and I'm certain that if it's been fixed by SH then the repairs will be top notch. Nonetheless, I get the impression from your glowing narrative on ebay and your recent post here that something is just not quite right. What is being hidden?

John Jackson
Rotorway Owner, Test Pilot, Instructor and Examiner

[jellycopter]

BS322,

No answer. Why not? What are you hiding?

JJ

[KevinLonghurst]

so it's back on Ebay once more, because the winning bidder "couldn't speak English"............Hmmmm...........wouldn't he then give a 'second chance' offer to the runners up rather than re-list it ??