EUROCOPTER : Picture Thread
Mar 22, 2008 | 02:39 PM
#15
Teamspeed Rookie
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 18
Chuck
Mar 29, 2008 | 05:47 PM
#16
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Rookie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
Chuck,
Congrats on taking the plunge for lessons ... I've currently logged 6 hours but my instructor has yet to even crack open a book or give a classroom lesson ... It's just been flying, hovering, flying ...
As of now I've got my eye set on a new Robinson R44 II ... From a practical and economic standpoint I'm mainly going to be using the Heli to go to my local properties and the furthest one is an hour drive so maybe a 25 Heli Flight.
Most military and turbine pilots call the Robinson a death trap, however; I've been informed otherwise. First of all I'm told that the Robinson 22 (what I'm training in) is a very squirmy and extremely difficult Heli to fly and when you jump into one out of a bigger military or turbine it is not as stable and scares pilots? (could be BS?) ... I opted to train in the more difficult 22 rather than the 44 to better my ability.
Second, 95% of Robinson crashes are from pilot error and since my school (as do 75%) of schools use the Robinson and the majority of the Robinson pilots are students you would expect them to have the crash history that you hear about ... IF schools could affor Bell trainers then the Jet Ranger would be renamed Death Trap.
Unfortunately my corporate office is pretty close to Southwest airport approach path so I'm doing my research to add a pad to my site plus I have HUGE power lines behind my office and I'm checking to see what steps need to be taken for the power company to add those balls to the lines so they're visible and light up at night.
Keep us updated
Congrats on taking the plunge for lessons ... I've currently logged 6 hours but my instructor has yet to even crack open a book or give a classroom lesson ... It's just been flying, hovering, flying ...
As of now I've got my eye set on a new Robinson R44 II ... From a practical and economic standpoint I'm mainly going to be using the Heli to go to my local properties and the furthest one is an hour drive so maybe a 25 Heli Flight.
Most military and turbine pilots call the Robinson a death trap, however; I've been informed otherwise. First of all I'm told that the Robinson 22 (what I'm training in) is a very squirmy and extremely difficult Heli to fly and when you jump into one out of a bigger military or turbine it is not as stable and scares pilots? (could be BS?) ... I opted to train in the more difficult 22 rather than the 44 to better my ability.
Second, 95% of Robinson crashes are from pilot error and since my school (as do 75%) of schools use the Robinson and the majority of the Robinson pilots are students you would expect them to have the crash history that you hear about ... IF schools could affor Bell trainers then the Jet Ranger would be renamed Death Trap.
Unfortunately my corporate office is pretty close to Southwest airport approach path so I'm doing my research to add a pad to my site plus I have HUGE power lines behind my office and I'm checking to see what steps need to be taken for the power company to add those balls to the lines so they're visible and light up at night.
Keep us updated
Mar 30, 2008 | 08:43 AM
#17
Teamspeed Rookie
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 18
Hi Dario,
I've got 14 hours now (yahoo!) I actually have room at my house and my work to land it so that is a big part of my motivation.
I am familiar with the Robinson "rap", too and it had always scared me away. Just Friday, I was talking to a helicopter examiner in Ohio and he said he is totally fine with the R44, just not the R22. He says exactly what you said that so many R22s are used for training and new pilots, that is why it has gotten the reputation. He says the R44 will do almost everything the Bell 206 will at 1/4 the price. It has made me look at them again. There sure are a lot more for sale. I would want to get the Raven II. I just wish the R66 was coming sooner. That will be a sweet bird.
On a different note, I am in Naples, Fl this week and I thought I would get some time in another helicopter just to experience variety. Well anyway, all I could fine were Robinsons down here. I talked to the guy and said great,"i'll be out"...as I am hanging up the phone he says "what do you weigh?" I say 220...he says "oh, that will never work...I just had the engine rebuilt in the R22 and it now weighs 50 lbs more...we could never get off the ground in Florida weather.."...wow, what a disappointment.
Chuck
I've got 14 hours now (yahoo!) I actually have room at my house and my work to land it so that is a big part of my motivation.
I am familiar with the Robinson "rap", too and it had always scared me away. Just Friday, I was talking to a helicopter examiner in Ohio and he said he is totally fine with the R44, just not the R22. He says exactly what you said that so many R22s are used for training and new pilots, that is why it has gotten the reputation. He says the R44 will do almost everything the Bell 206 will at 1/4 the price. It has made me look at them again. There sure are a lot more for sale. I would want to get the Raven II. I just wish the R66 was coming sooner. That will be a sweet bird.
On a different note, I am in Naples, Fl this week and I thought I would get some time in another helicopter just to experience variety. Well anyway, all I could fine were Robinsons down here. I talked to the guy and said great,"i'll be out"...as I am hanging up the phone he says "what do you weigh?" I say 220...he says "oh, that will never work...I just had the engine rebuilt in the R22 and it now weighs 50 lbs more...we could never get off the ground in Florida weather.."...wow, what a disappointment.
Chuck
