Owning + operating ambition

[Dan]

My ambtion for when Im Fozz's age (Ok maybe not that old!) is too own and use a Schweizer S300 or R22. How realistic is that do you think?
Any idea how much the costs are? I just love helis etc....

[beaky]

Offhand, I think the real wallet-busters would be training, recurrency training (for insurance, which itself will be brutal), and worst of all, maintenance. although a belt-driven piston-engine chopper like the Robinson wouldn't be too bad, and you could build one yourself, which would save you a bundle.

[C]

There was an piece in one of the mags or newspapers recently about a UK businessman who bought an R22 to commute between his 15 or so offices in the UK. Previously he'd done up to a few hundred miles a day by car. From memory he equated the running of the R22 a bit more than an expensive (low mpg) car, plus licenses and insurance...

[Fozzer]

Hi Dan...!

If you intend rounding up the local Welsh sheep, then I'd go for a horse... ...!

More people have died flying helicopters, than cowboys have died falling off their horses... ...!
...trust me... ...!

LOL...!

Paul...'orrible things, helicopters...no wings... ... ...!

[Citationpilot]

I would never recommend a helicopter to any one other than the filthy rich. The operating cost of any helicopter is unbelievable. You're way better off just renting a helicopter from the local flight school.

[chomp_rock]

That is true, the insurance for a 2 seat helo may be up to or more than twice that of a 2 seat aeroplane like a Cessna 152. I fly helos once in a while and must say this; helos are relatively inefficient and thus use alot of fuel, plus they are not any more fun than a fixed wing aircraft. If anything they make flying too complex to be fun in a simple trip (i.e. the proverbial $100 hamburger). The point I'm trying to make is: save money and get a cessna 150, 152, 172 or a piper of the like, it just makes more sence.

[Citationpilot]

That is true, the insurance for a 2 seat helo may be up to twice that of a 2 seat aeroplane like a Cessna 152. I fly helos once in a while and must say this; helos are relatively inefficient and thus use alot of fuel, plus they are not any more fun than a fixed wing aircraft. If anything they make flying too complex to be fun in a simple trip (i.e. the proverbial $100 hamburger). The point I'm trying to make is: save money and get a cessna 150, 152, 172 or a piper of the like, it just makes more sence.

I agree with what was said above, except for one of the last statements. I find them hundreds of times more fun to fly than fixed wing aircraft, those damn 152s basically fly themselves, what fun is that! The insurance on a two seat helicopter would be three or four times higher than that of a two seat airplane.

[Saratoga]

I like heli's just as much as the next guy, but as was said countless times, insurance just doesn't make it worth it. I agree, save and buy a 150 or Warrior and make those hundred dollar burger runs.