new helicopter company
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: uk
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
aucky, you give lots of good advice, thanks, i do think if i give the venue away ill lose my usp. so let me keep working on this, hopefully i will be able to give "one of you lot" (kidding) 
a job one day. I doubt i will be a cpl now i will just like to open up a company and make some money, and to the person who says put it as a tax right off against someone richer than i, no i want a P/L and balance sheet to be happy with.to the others saying you have a lot to learn... well thats why im here, yet you didnt tell me much i didnt already know, easy to sit on the side lines, im stepping up and putting my life savings into this so hey ho
a job one day. I doubt i will be a cpl now i will just like to open up a company and make some money, and to the person who says put it as a tax right off against someone richer than i, no i want a P/L and balance sheet to be happy with.to the others saying you have a lot to learn... well thats why im here, yet you didnt tell me much i didnt already know, easy to sit on the side lines, im stepping up and putting my life savings into this so hey ho
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 419 Likes
on
221 Posts
R44, I've been flying helicopters for a living since the late 1970s. The one piece of advice I'd offer? Don't put all your life savings into anything to do with the helicopter business because you are likely to end up with nothing.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: uk
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wow........ in one night you have all taught me alot, dispite my efforts, and my dreams you win, im going to take my money eles where.The very people who i thought would be helpful..... im done, your right more money to be made elese where. good luck to you all.
o and sorry if ive mis spelt anything, like thats important!
o and sorry if ive mis spelt anything, like thats important!
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 419 Likes
on
221 Posts
Good luck, R44. My advice was well meant and the best I could offer. You're almost certain to lose your money if you try to begin a helicopter company with no knowledge of even how to fly one. Many very experienced people have tried and lost the lot.
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Canada
Age: 53
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's your money and it's your life.....
The industry is littered with pilots who believed that if only they owned the machine they would fix all the wrongs of the industry and get rich doing it. There were winners and losers. To decide to do this without actually working in the industry...let's just say it is very bold.
The regulations are onerous, the costs are high, and the margins are generally low. If hearing the truth is destroying your 'dream', I can only say better now than later.
If you thought that you would get a bullet-proof business plan and all the trade secrets from a quickie post on PPRuNe, then
!!!
The industry is littered with pilots who believed that if only they owned the machine they would fix all the wrongs of the industry and get rich doing it. There were winners and losers. To decide to do this without actually working in the industry...let's just say it is very bold.
The regulations are onerous, the costs are high, and the margins are generally low. If hearing the truth is destroying your 'dream', I can only say better now than later.
If you thought that you would get a bullet-proof business plan and all the trade secrets from a quickie post on PPRuNe, then
!!!
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Hassocks, Mid-Sussex
Age: 67
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
r44 - Helicopters aside, have you ever had any experience in managing/starting any kind of business?
Have you heard of something called a business plan or even a feasibility study?
Do you know what they are and what they do?
Do you know that if they are good enough you wouldn't even need to spend all your money?
Thought not!
But, as has been said, one wastes ones breath.
Have you heard of something called a business plan or even a feasibility study?
Do you know what they are and what they do?
Do you know that if they are good enough you wouldn't even need to spend all your money?
Thought not!
But, as has been said, one wastes ones breath.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 419 Likes
on
221 Posts
He's definitely gone now - surely. Shy - shame on you, stop encouraging the idiot.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 419 Likes
on
221 Posts
Probably a kipper.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,957
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hopeful,
I'll give just a few tips having been in the establishing of new and successful helicopter tourist operations business's three times in the past.
I'll give just a few tips having been in the establishing of new and successful helicopter tourist operations business's three times in the past.
- First you need something to look at in a manner that can't be seen by other means.
- Properly plan your noise management otherwise ground borne touros and residents will ground you just like in Sydney. Don't allow pilot to whop the blades. (The new blade R44's still have a noisy exhaust, always put it downwind of the people you might upset)
- If you have the venue, secure it against opposition with full rights to the operation via a legal document.
- You will need a venue that brings in around 250,000 visitors a year and plan on only getting 2 to 3% into your machines.(that will give a tidy income)
- Your average loading will be 2.1 per flight so price accordingly. (demanding a full load each time will only lose work).
- You average passenger will be the hard pressed family type person, not the upper market unless you are taking in a service to high roller clients. (Having said that high rollers like wealthy casino patrons usually couldn't give a stuff about helicopters)
- Always have well planned flight routes with as many as possible Emergency Landing sites as possible and train your pilots to fly via in reach of them.
- Plan you flights so that you will be operating the aircraft at just below the power jet opening in the carburetor, still quite fast and amazingly more economical and easier on the machine.
- Take off should always be in ground effect, slow and confident building for teh passengers.
- Don't sell you soul to the venue ownership as that will cost too much of your profit, freebies or surveys, that sort of thing.
- Don't sell your soul to those ticket sellers on your behalf. If they want to get a % they have to sell it on top of your price, don't allow anyone to charge too high a % doing that as bad word spreads quickly and will destroy you.
- WRT the last comment, do not under any circumstances do low level or untoward flying especially steep turns, as the tourist grapevine and its ability to destroy your operation is exceptionally efficient, swift and merciless.(Always have a spare pilot up your sleeve if someone needs quickly moving on
- Treat you passengers equally as friends, but respectfully and firmly., that means passenger loading via an established spreadsheet for your office staff so that overloading or excessive C of G movement is never an issue.
- After that do a cash flow and don't underestimate start up costs.
- If you do it right you will get repeat clients, our favorite was the late Rumpole -Of the Bailey, a great gentleman.
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Hassocks, Mid-Sussex
Age: 67
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by choppertop
Grenville Fortescue -- a business plan/feasibility study isn't much use in the tropics. Well, you could turn it into a sun hat perhaps.
Grenville Fortescue -- a business plan/feasibility study isn't much use in the tropics. Well, you could turn it into a sun hat perhaps.
I'm not begrudging the lad his dream for one moment - but far better he appreciate some of the realities he might face (if ever he pursues this) and far better he try and learn some of those realities here on an innocuous forum rather than sitting opposite a bank manager, client or prospective business partner.
