R66 - your feedback

[zip]

I recently had the chance to fly the R66 and I was extremely impressed. So much so I am thinking of changing my R44 for one.

Some of my findings :

Easy to start - would suggest easier than other turbines ?
Cabin space - very good in the front - a squeeze with three in the back but ok
Power - we had 4 up and loads and loads of power to spare
Noise - wow it is so quiet - less noisy than an R44 I think.
Speed - it cruises at 125 knots with ease
Running cost - fuel consumption appears to be very good.
Service - The 100 hour service interval does away with my R44 25 hour ones.
Crash tested to the latest and highest levels.

The R44 is the worlds best selling helicopter.

I would suggest the R66 will come a close second.

Has anyone flown it and what are your comments ?

[Dantruck]

I have not flown it yet, but am looking forward to the day with great anticipation and expectation.

Meanwhile. Zip...who's been buying your lunch?

Dan :suspect:

[zip]

I learned on an R22 and then managed to make enough money to buy an R44.

Now I aspire to an R66.

Dunno about lunch but I am a fan of the Robinson brand - it works for me.

I have had three R44's which I have rented out for instruction and for self fly hire. All three have performed well and costs kept down.

Sorry but don't fly the big stuff - can only afford sandwiches !

[206 jock]

Now I know I am a bit slow, but anyone else think Zip is just a bit too evangelical about the R66? Not content with filling another 2 threads with 'wow, it's just so amazing there's nothing else like it in the whole wide world and nothing else comes even close, if it was a horse I would marry it', he's started another one!

Give it a rest pal. You're boring. If you like it, that's great. Me, I think it looks pig ugly. But I promise not to say that again.

From another evangelical post.....

"Nope infact that has been beaten by a USA company who is grounding a fleet of 17 Jet Rangers and using R66 instead due to the lower running costs."

Really? Grounding them? so they are parking up 17 JetRangers, putting in R66's, paying depreciation on both sets of machines, and this is the cheapest option? Wow, their accountant is clearly smoking something. You bin had, as they say (or you just believe everything someone is telling you)

[Flying Pencil]

I'm sure it's pure coincidence that Zip is also a big fan of Heliair on another thread. What do they sell again.....?

[Heliport]

Dantruck, 206 jock & Flying Pencil:


zip obviously didn’t believe me when I wrote on another thread on the 14th March: zip
You have posted only 6 times.
Almost all those posts have extolled the virtues of Robinsons, HeliAir and SB.

The regulars on this forum aren't stupid and will undoubtedly realise that you have a very close association with HeliAir and with SB.

Some of his posts have been removed. Here are a few examples -

23rd Jan 2011:
“Does anyone have an update on the R66 ?
Seems there are a huge number of people waiting to buy one .....”
Seems like a genuine and innocent question - unless you know that zip is a businessman whom Sean Brown, Heli Air MD, describes as his ‘mentor’ and “a consummate entrepreneurial professional”.
Curious that he asked on here instead of asking his friend SB. ;)

Same date, different thread: Another post blatantly advertising HeliAir. :rolleyes:

14th March 2011:
“Flown it / power is great / speed good / cost to run is awesome - potentially cheaper than an R44!” (The accompanying plug for HeliAir was deleted.)

Same date:
“The Heli Air launch was excellent .....”


Threads already running:
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/266788-robinson-r66-merged-threads-7.html
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/442718-whats-going-heli-air.html


H.