Day Dreaming, what private helicopter?

[welsh_Gareth]

Just day dreaming here a little and was wondering what private use single engine helicopter would you own if you were in that lucky position? And why?

[g-mady]

in reality... an R22. Great aircraft to fly, lots of fun and practical financially.

Money no object... an EC120. Great looking, lots of inertia

somewhere in between... A B206 jet ranger is unbeatable in many areas!

MADY

[eivissa]

AW119Ke! If it has to be a single...otherwise...

[Whirlygig]

AW119Ke! If it has to be a single...otherwise...Snap :ok:

But I still have a soft-spot for Jet Rangers in the same way as I have a soft spot for Series I L@nd R0vers and 60s British sportscars. :)

Cheers

Whirls

[Hilico]

206, latest example I could find - it's a classic.

I did consider a 500, but a bit small and the passengers might object to turns that steep all the time. EC120, yes very smooth but how long to wait if it goes AOG? Same with the EC130, plus an eight-seater single just feels wrong. 300, too much leaning forward on long trips (like the vis out though). R22, with me and a friend you couldn't legally get much fuel in. R44, the kids haven't been young enough to sit in the back for years. R66, never buy the Mark 1 of anything. 407 looks OK but just doesn't sound right with a centrifugal compressor, plus you couldn't get away with a narrow hangar. 350B3, not sure why but no, maybe I don't like the shape. Alouette, too old and quirky. 47, too old and slow. 280, where do I find and keep my engineer? 480, ugly skids and strange seating layout. Gazelle, I'm not a fan of the ex-mil market (which knocks out the Scout and the Skeeter too). Brantly, not sure where I'd get one and anyway my hair's short enough already. K-Max, you can't stick the passengers in a bambi-bucket.

[lelebebbel]

K-Max, you can't stick the passengers in a bambi-bucket.

Problem solved:
http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q140/fly911/K-MAX/K-MAX_Art.jpg

[Peter-RB]

342, goes like stink, bags of power, and precise in handling, the fact of being ex Mil means very little, just tells you its tuff.

Money to burn and not restricted would go for the AH164 with all the goodies, dont make a noise, you might wake me.

Peter R-B;)
Vfrpiotpb

[F.A.TAlbert]

Money no object then definitely a Ex-Mil Scout - old, knackered and expensive to run just like me, we'd make a fine pair - but tough as old boots. Otherwise a Bell 47 for fun and just playing around. Dream on.........:zzz:

[EN48]

407 looks OK but just doesn't sound right with a centrifugal compressor, plus you couldn't get away with a narrow hangar.


Get the expandable blade bolt option and a blade folding kit and it works with a narrow hangar.

My choices:

Economy turbine: Enstrom 480B

Single turbine: Bell 407 or Agusta 119

Twin turbine: Bell 429 or Agusta 109 Grand New

Military: Huey Cobra

Pistons: why bother if we are dreaming! Dream big! :ok:

[industry insider]

Single just for me - MD520N

Twin to take my friends to the pub - used S-76A++ for $600-700k

[OBX Lifeguard]

A Bell 47...My first out of flight school military mission was relocating an OH-13 from Ft. Meade to Ft. Eustis. Then I flew one in my first civilian job...had a brand new bubble... Hell I insist on getting paid if I fly turbine stuff.


Of course I tend toward the antiques flying a J-3 Cub and a Great Lakes biplane for my off-duty fun ...

[Rotorhead84]

A 500 or 206

Classic looks and well proven.

[welsh_Gareth]

It would have to be an ec120 for me, love the modern looks. And as I'm dreaming I've sorted the parts supply chain.

Gareth
Saying that I wouldn't say no to a 500 as well :ok:

[Heliringer]

AS350 B3 for my personal transport machine. Must have Auto pilot and good music system for those long trips I would be making touring around OZ. Only flying when and where I want to.


Dream on:sad:

[spencer17]

For the fun: ..... Hughes 500D
Cruising around : EC120 or AS350

[HelipadR22]

For me it would have to be either an MD500 or an Enstrom 480. I just love the looks on both of those aircraft.

[moosp]

EC120 for pose and comfort, but as welsh gareth points out, in a dream for the service support. We have suffered.

MD500 for self, like owning a Lotus 7/ Caterham. Unlikely to pull in one.

Money no object, Agusta Grand.

[dodgy1]

Single - AS350 B3+

Twin - BV234 Chinook....all pimped out :)

[rotornut]

But I still love the 300 which is embarrassingly slow - cars on the freeway were faster than I was into a headwind - and as Hilico suggested don't drop anything in flight 'cause you'll never get it back.:(

[Never in Balance]

I would also have to say a AS350 B3+, although i've never flown a A119 and like the look of them.

NiB

[Rotorgoat8]

Bell 47----Cheap, reliable and SAFE. Not to mention FUN.

[Sir Niall Dementia]

None of them;

I'd save the money and charter an IFR twin with experienced crew when I wanted to go somewhere.

Then I could turn up late, p***ed and with more passengers and bags than I had told the operator, then on the way home drunkenly tell the crew to take me to my mate Keith's house, after all "the crew must know it because he often has helicopters landing there."

Maybe I'm just a bit jaundiced after 25 years.

[F.A.TAlbert]

Rotorgoat8 Bell 47----Cheap, reliable and SAFE. Not to mention FUN.

Definitely :ok:

[skadi]

That would be my dream:

Helicopter (http://richardgreen.net.au/helicopter) for camping.

skadi

[Capt.Gonzo]

CH 53 K, should be also good for Camping :)

[ShyTorque]

Then I could turn up late, p***ed and with more passengers and bags than I had told the operator, then on the way home drunkenly tell the crew to take me to my mate Keith's house, after all "the crew must know it because he often has helicopters landing there."

Maybe I'm just a bit jaundiced after 25 years.

Realistic, not jaundiced, I think.

Or, while sitting in a field in the dark, waiting for the Boss, his PA phones you, gives you a postcode and tells you to take the Boss to it, first thing in the morning, because the weather will be too bad to fly by jet and land at the airfield. If you say it's not possible, you're just being awkward.

How nice it would be to let them making the demands to have a go instead.... :ok:

Anyway, Gazelle is the answer to the OQ.

[JTobias]

Hi

I guess an EC120 or a Bell 407 (if money were no object)
Failing that I'd fully overhaul a Jet Ranger.

Joel:ok:

[Capt.Gonzo]

Hi,

beside the CH-53K which might be a little to expensive I would choose also the EC-120 or maybe the AS 350. :ok:

[Hughes500]

So far have owned

5 x 300c's great trainer
1 x 369C
1 x 369D
4 x 369E's
1 x 206
1 x 341

The one I have kept as it the cheapest ( turbine) to run, been the most reliable and the fastest is the D model. Not much out thee that will outfly it !!
Not bad for a 50 year old design, the 341 is a close second

[John R81]

Ec120. More outlay to purchase but the running costs are so much less, and the ride is so much more refined.

That's if I can't have an Apache or a Cobra.:E

[Hans K.]

After 30 yrs of pilot /mech work . The thought of owning a machine that costs thousands in parts and AD inspections / rework , For only a few hours of joy .

Its like being married .

The best machine is the one you barrow from a friend , any time you like .

[grumpytroll]

Rent one when you want to fly. AStar is a fine machine. Jet Ranger extemely practical and worthy. Both a pleasure to fly. Longer distance, go for an airplane. they have the legs. Then rent helo when you get there or even better since we are talking serious available money: hire a local ship and cfi. tour around and share the stick.

[as350nut]

After 14 Robinsons,1 500D,3 x as350, I think if I was poor and alone a R22, Poor with friends an R44 ( with fuel bladders), rich, not too many friends but the best fun a 500. An ec120 if I had 5 spare engines or work out how to turn off the vmed, sex on a stick but no power. I think a gazelle would be close to perfect but there aren't any in Aus. The as350 is the pick at the moment,hard to beat, layout, comfort,speed,smoothness and general lack of wanting to kill you like some of the forementioned. The Jetbox is just too slow, and the L4 has rear facing seats, I would refuse to sit backwards so I wouldn't ask anyone else too. So Mr Eurocopter with every bill looking like telephone numbers I think is the winner.

[HillerBee]

EC120, very comfortable, roomy, excellent view for the passengers, cheap to run and a joy to fly for the pilot. If you don't need the room and want pure fun I'd go for the 500D.

[birrddog]

What about the 109(A-C)? About the same price (second hand) as an L3 - with a second engine to please the 2 engines are safer crowd...

From an owner perspective you get to build twin time....

That 135 for Camping is a great config - did something similar on a 407 though the space and the clam shell doors on the back make the 135 a winner - even at twice the price of a 407..

[toptobottom]

I'm looking,..

The Gazelle is my favourite, but spares becoming scarce/expensive; the EC120 cos she looks so beautiful and i like the VEMD (expensive if it goes wrong tho) and great cabin layout, but - if you're not fussed about luggage space (what luggage space?!), I think the Hughes 500 is the most sensible "bachelor's" machine... fast, manoeuvrable, reliable and relatively cheap to run, both from a scheduled maintenance point of view, as well as spares availability.

[nigelh]

I have owned a 47 G3B1 loved it but v slow and seen the cost of new blades:eek:
206 solid reliable bit boring , wallows like all 2 blade machines .
480B Biggest surprise to me as i loved it . Great cabin , v reliable , v smooth ,v agile . Cheap as chips to run.
AS350 great machine but v v expensive to run . The most expensive i have ever owned . Great cabin and power.
109 again great machine but cant use it to its full without ifr ticket and not great vfr machine for grovelling .
500 dont know as just bought it !!

[22clipper]

Didn't Richard Green do a lot of helicamping in a Gazelle? These days his magic carpet is that tricked out EC135.

[Ascend Charlie]

Dick Smith had a better private toy with an S76, he took it around the world via the north and south poles.

A private owner, based in Teterboro, has an S92 nicely kitted out with stand-up lavatory, club section in the back, four more seats up front, and the main use is to carry his kids from Long Island to Manhattan school and back. There was even a video camera looking into the back so the pilots could keep an eye on the kids' shenanigans.

[Hughes500]

NigelH you've come to the dark side at last with a 500 !!!

[ascj]

surprised no one has mentioned the cabri.

[bolkow]

agree with skadi, if I was ever in a position to own a personal helicopter it would have to be the EC135T2+. Just love that machine.

[Twin Head]

:ok: 530FF :ok:

[md 600 driver]

The french mil 342m with the as355 blades or a 530FF with 6 bladed head and 4 tr blades

[FLY 7]

A really nice Hughes/Schweizer 269C :ok:

When I first became intertested in helicopters, I was widely advised that the H/S 300'C' was the best training helicopter (not the Cb or Cbi - the 'C').

I tried a few different helicopters and agreed, and started to learn on one. Liked it so much that I eventually bought a fairly new one.

It was brilliant fun - comfortable, safe, reliable, well engineered, nice cabin, plenty of power, great handling - a proper little helicopter (a baby 500?).

Eventually, of course, I needed more speed, more space, and I sold it and the turbine temptation beckoned.

But I really do miss the 269/300'C'.

Yes, there's lots of 'money no object' helicopters to drool over, but for the sheer joy of flying a helicopter, IMO, it really is a gem - the 'Mini-Cooper' of helicopters :).