Day Dreaming, what private helicopter?
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Do I come here often?
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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.
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.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
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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.
Maybe I'm just a bit jaundiced after 25 years.
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....
Anyway, Gazelle is the answer to the OQ.
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
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
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: England & Scotland
Age: 63
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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.
That's if I can't have an Apache or a Cobra.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern California
Age: 67
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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 .
Its like being married .
The best machine is the one you barrow from a friend , any time you like .
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: In the desert southwest
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rent
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.
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.
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Belgium
Age: 60
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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.
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Where I'm pointing...
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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..
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..
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.
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.
I have owned a 47 G3B1 loved it but v slow and seen the cost of new blades
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 !!
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 !!
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.
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.