R22/R44 PPL - What Type Next (EC120, 206, AS350, etc?)

[Rotorblatt101]

Hello Rotorheads

I hope this thread is not misdirected here in the forum. If it is, feel free to move it to the private flying forum.

I am a PPL with 200 hours on helicopters, of which are around 50h on R22 and the rest on R44 on my FAA license. I once wanted to become a helicopter pilot but it just wasn't meant to be (I am 35 now and it's a bit late I guess, and I do have family that needs me to be at home).

I have not done any flying in the past 2 years but the aviation bug bit me again. I am probably going to fly again, but I am not sure which type yet. It will be expensive, but I figured 5-10 hours per year should be enough and I can keep doing it as long as I can afford it. Due to the low hours, I'll probably be flying with an instructor most of the time and I am good with that. It also seems the best place to start flying again is the USA (price and infrastructure).

If I'd have a lot of spare cash, I'd know what I want to fly. But because I don't, I need to be very careful. I need to select my type considering various details, mostly Europe/USA availability and price (no use if I start flying the Huey and there is only one single place in the this world where I can fly one, not to mention that I simply can't afford it's fuel burn). I do travel a lot, so I'd like to select a type that has good availability around the world.

The small list I came up with is as follows:

- 206 Jet Ranger (seems to be available at many places for a good price)

- EC120 (not a lot of info on that, but I see it more and more)

- MD500 (no idea at all)

- AS350 (no idea, especially not in the USA)

- Enstrom 480 (seems there are only a few of them, probably not good for me)

- R66 (not available anywhere and I could as well just stick to R22 or R44 IMHO)

What would you guys do? Do you have any idea of hourly prices in the US or Europe of those types?

Once I know which type, I'll book a flight to the land of the free and get around 10 hours on type, do my BFR on it and then head back home. I'll then book an hour here and there when I am traveling, with flight instructors of course. This will set me back a fortune, but I'll worry about that in a year or two when I run out of money...

I will absolutely enjoy those few hours in the air, but I enjoy learning, talking and breathing helicopters just as much.

[Soave_Pilot]

I don't quite get it...:confused:

You say you don't want to do this for living then you worried about what type you fly to stay current??

If you just want to fly for fun, why burn money in a turbine ship paying 3-4x more? A R44 should be more than enough for you, you can even put the family in the back...

[foxmead]

Hi RB101

Well, thats good you have the flying bug again, but 5-10 hours a year i would ask is it worth it? especially with family needs, however its your cash so you can spend as you wish. (Does the wife approve?)

My opinion would be for the few hours you are looking at doing, why not stick with the 22 or 300 and keep costs down maybe the 44 now & again, turbines for the few hours you are looking at would be pointless.

In the UK rates would vary with an instructor depending on where you fly, but £250 + an hour for a 300 & slightly less for the 22. Good luck.

[jackx123]

stick with R44. just jump in and turn the ignition key.

having flown both 120 and 206 the 120 is smoother flying but IMHO the 44, if you want to take pax, gives you more joy with the flying and cheaper. no watching torque or any other issues. it burns half the fuel and so on.

godspeed:ok:

[Rotorblatt101]

The problem is that am fascinated by anything helicopter, but I had enough of the R22 and R44.

Look, many people have expensive hobbies. I figured if I could get away with US$500-US$1000 (worst case) per hour, I'd be at around $5k-10k per year (hopefully more towards the lower end). If I can keep this up for a year or two, I am a very happy man. In contrast, others get divorced, go clubbing every weekend, or spend their holidays in Hawaii or buy new motorcycles. I am a very simple man. All I want is a bit of flying and being around some good helicopters. I guess I'd still be happy with a minimum of flying and just learning about new types once in a while.

Don't ask me why that is - you could also ask the guys assembling R/C airplanes all year long just to fly them for one single weekend the same questions. We just enjoy it (I am not into R/C stuff, just to be clear).

Is that so unrealistic?

[heliroger]

Hi Rotorblatt101,
I think you should get a CPL and an Instructors Rating.That way,you'll get paid for what you love doing while building the hours/time required for employment as a Heli Pilot.Please let your passion/fulfilment come firstas it's never too late to switch careers.
All the Best.

[HeliChopter]

EC120 for fun
B206 for availability

[Unhinged]

- R66 (not available anywhere and I could as well just stick to R22 or R44 IMHO)
To be honest, I think the 66 is almost the ideal answer ... I know that availability isn't good just now, but that's the only negative and it will get better pretty quickly.

On the other hand, there are some significant positives: Since you're not planning on flying a lot of hours, the commonality with the aircraft you currently fly would be a big help. The 66 is *much* nicer to fly than the 22 or 44. The extra power margin makes it seriously fun to fly, the 5th seat is useful, and it gets places very quickly indeed.

Get a short flight in one, and then make your decision.

[Flying Lawyer]

Rotorblatt101

In cost terms, the advice you've been given is obviously correct. For the same amount of money, you'd get more flying in a piston helicopter than any turbine. However, if the criterion is value for money then other factors have to be put into the balance, in particular pleasure for money.

The B206 is probably the least expensive of the other types you mention. I'm a PPL and I prefer to fly a B206 even though, for the same amount of money, I could fly more hours in an R44. For me, the pleasure starts the moment I hear that wonderful sound of the turbine spooling up. On reflection, the pleasure starts even sooner - when going through the pre-start procedures. The start needs a great deal more care than just jumping in and turning the key, as Jackx says, but for me that's all part of the enjoyment. Again as Jackx says, no watching torque or any other issues in an R44 but that's all part of my enjoyment.
For me, the B206 feels more like a 'real' helicopter than the R44. Just a personal view; others will disagree.
(I also fly the Gazelle. If you get the chance to fly one, take it.)

BTW, I am a Robinson fan in many ways. If it hadn't been for the R22 I probably wouldn't have started flying helicopters so I'm very grateful to Frank Robinson. I acknowledge that the R44 is the most economical way of flying with more passengers. I don't doubt that the R66 has many qualities but it seems too much like an R44 with a turbine, and I think it's a pity they didn't take the opportunity to introduce a proper stick.


FL