New single-seat helicopter for less than $50,000

[Heliport]

http://www.airscooter.com/photos/w_flying4.jpg


AirScooter hope to go into production some time this year, and that's the projected price.
According to the manufacturers, no licence is needed to fly it because it's an ultralight.

Looks good fun. BTW, what's it like in autorotation?
Err.... it doesn't.

Not a problem, according to the designer.
"The AirScooter is designed for recreational flying at low altitude where even traditional helicopters have little benefit from auto-rotation.
Design efforts have been done on a ballistic emergency chute for the AirScooter."



Any takers?

[Phoinix]

"The AirScooter is designed for recreational flying at low altitude where even traditional helicopters have little benefit from auto-rotation.

Good excuse for crashing... or is it just me? :yuk:

According to the manufacturers, no licence is needed to fly it because it's an ultralight.

Damn good recipe... :mad:

I guess it's a package with no comm too. Sure, keep 'em coming, just another thing to rub off the windscreen.

[wishtobflying]

This was on TV here in Australia not long ago, some imported program about "the future".

This AirScooter thing actually looked pretty good I thought, reminded me of a swamp boat for some reason, and fairly easy to get the hang of. The reporter doing the story had never flown anything, looked about 60 years old, and they had it tethered down so he couldn't get it more than about a metre off the ground. It took him a few goes to get it right (thank God for big floats for skids ... bounce, bounce, bounce, you get the idea), but after about 15 minutes he was doing a pretty good job of holding it steady in a low hover.

I'm sure you could fit comms to it if you were a skinny-arse and could afford the weight penalty, so don't write off that part yet. I think you'll be more likely to see rural people with this one - cheaper than a tractor! - and rural people love their radios, so they'd be pretty likely to have some comms.

Check out that big wide belt just above the pilot's head though - that's totally unprotected. Raise your hand up to wave goodbye before you take off and you'll be waving a bloody stump! I don't care how much weight penalty you have to take on something like that, I can't believe they don't have that thing covered!

[cyclicpushover]

Doesn't autorotate?
thats what the big baloons on the skids are for.

Looked cool on the box but on 2nd look I don't have a death wish.


:ugh:

[Flying Lawyer]

"thats what the big baloons on the skids are for"

Rumour has it they're extending the 'big balloon' concept for the 2-seater model to be announced next year.


http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-4/994575/helicopter.jpg

[ATPMBA]

I'd rather spend $85,000 and get used R-22. My life is worth the extra 35,000.

[Quick Release]

Yea i reckon i will wait for LAWYERS 2 place machine, looks a little more airworthy and could maybe cop a hard landing without to much maint: needed. :D