"Real" Helicopter Kits and such

[afterburn 549]

I have been thinking of an other helicopter...and with the help of the Borg here no stone will be left un turned.
There are many "kits". Most are death traps and or will never leave the ground
The other deal is from scratch - The hardest part I think is the Transmission...mabe a salvage one from a small production helicopter .
From scratch- I have put a lot of thought in the Co axial main rotor design..
At 1st it seems like a win win...after lots a thought and study the efficiencies are not there....!
With out the power sucking T/R I thought it would be the way to go!...but smarter people then me say that the gained 20% is lost to 2 more blades plus the complications of an other rotor system,,, plus no gain from the other M/R going the other way as it as to be stacked so high up..............
So..after all that...
a 1/2 decent production chopper will be a EZ 100G $$$$
I think a 1 or 2 seater with a Solar turbine can be done for lots less..and i am partial to turbines.......
Pistons are OK...but there is a lot more stuff there to blow apart.
I am aware of the Mosquito project...seems worthy...but very small
Your thoughts?

[Joeaksa]

Helo's do not fly... they are so ugly that the earth repels them!

I have 40-50 hours in rotor wing a/c and loved it, but they are too damm expensive for me. A kit might be a good way to go but would do all the work myself unless I knew the builder. Too many moving parts there to not be 110% sure.

[crustychief]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Helo's do not fly... they are so ugly that the earth repels them! As they beat the air into submission

I have 40-50 hours in rotor wing a/c and loved it, but they are too damm expensive for me. A kit might be a good way to go but would do all the work myself unless I knew the builder. Too many moving parts there to not be 110% sure.

Fixed it for you!

[Tim Hancock]

While I like the utility of a helicopter and have ridden in both military and civilian models, they scare the poo out of me from a mechanical viewpoint. The thought of those relatively small linkages/bolts in the rotor area holding every thing together along with metal fatigue over time just does not sit well with my mechanical mind.

[crustychief]

Have you seen the rotorway talon? RotorWay International - Premiere Kit Helicopters

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

I have put a lot of thought in the Co axial main rotor design.. At 1st it seems like a win win...after lots a thought and study the efficiencies are not there....!

Don't think single-mast coaxial.
Think KAMAN.

[afterburn 549]

I have alot of "time" in choppers. Never a problem unless a artificial hole happened..,,even then we all lived.
If i ever have to crash again and again I will take the helicopter over a fix wing. There is No contest which has a better survive ability rate.
But maybe we are just more comfortable with what we know
So if this thread is not about what you like please excuse yourselves....
I am serious about the "Borg" of thought here.
Those that are serious we can embark on a plan...with or with out ya! LOL

[afterburn 549]

Originally Posted by crustychief

Have you seen the rotorway talon? RotorWay International - Premiere Kit Helicopters

Run Forest RUN from Rotor Way...its a death wish..Ever since Scorpion they have been more of a "plans" seller or a parts people.
Yes their crap sort a flies...But it has 10000 up dates per YR.
They still do not know how to make bearing shafts that will not fret and break...
After market people are right there to keep selling what should have been there in the 1st place.

[afterburn 549]

Originally Posted by cashflyer

Don't think single-mast coaxial.
Think KAMAN.

Yes side by side mast do work, they have been around since the 1950s
at the cost of an other complete rotor system The coefficient of it or Lack of negates
the whole thing.
I would rather have a ducted T/R
at least I know that will autorotate

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

So if this thread is not about what you like please excuse yourselves....
I am serious about the "Borg" of thought here.
Those that are serious we can embark on a plan...with or with out ya! LOL

Point taken...... I'm out.

[dondarnell]

Only the government has enough money to properly maintain and train for rotary winged aircraft.

[afterburn 549]

Nah..i think thats not so true any more...use to was... service life from high maint components IE rod ends can be a 1000 hours...Blade and xmans way over 2000.
If in kit form...we are not under their rules...and replace what needs to be and when.

[Bob Goding]

Here ya go!---
1965 HUEY GUNSHIP UH-1E MILITARY BELL AIRCRAFT HELICOPTER UH-1 UH-1H 204 m998 | eBay

[afterburn 549]

Trust me, ! would love a "C" model, but I dont think its in my price range LOL

[afterburn 549]

Like i said..if this thread disagrees with your hart..please be a by stander
I forget which chopper it was Enstrom or the Robinson - was a pretty shady deal to get Cert. by the FAA
They are no better then any hombuilt...
The Prob. with home builts...they get it done and dont know how to fly it! S,o the roll over happens !
I am leaning far away from production beause of the mandatory insp. /TBO/ high cost of parts.
That said, a X military Vehicles comes under different rules I think...I know they can not be used for paid public transportation cause they were never Cert. by the FAA either.
So...yes a UHIH anything, would be just wonderfulness ! LOL
Buy I know its out a my budget..and most peoples.
Plus 2 to 3 hour fuel times are pretty ruff on the pocket book

[944Larry]

most ex-military helos have to be operated under the restricted, experimental or limited categories. The only exception I can think of was the Hughes TH55. Seems like it was sold to the military with a standard airworthiness certificate. That being said, the government did not always use approved parts on it, so care would be in order there.

[xlr8]

Here are a couple that look interesting:

Neo Two place, no tail rotor, liquid cooled 180 hp fuel injected rotary.



Helicycle Single place, 160 hp turbine de-rated to 90 hp.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by 944Larry

most ex-military helos have to be operated under the restricted or limited categories. The only exception I can think of was the Hughes TH55. Seems like it was sold to the military with a standard airworthiness certificate. That being said, the government did not always use approved parts on it, so care would be in order there.

The '55 is more or less the same as the Hughes 300, so pretty good amount of spares out there for that. If you can auto-rotate a -300, you can fly just about any helo... it was my first rotary wing experience.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

The '55 is more or less the same as the Hughes 300, so pretty good amount of spares out there for that. If you can auto-rotate a -300, you can fly just about any helo... it was my first rotary wing experience.

Have to agree Joe. I had a Brantley B2A for a while and it was just as big a thrill as a Hughes to auto.

[afterburn 549]

Looks like Helicycle uses belt drive...several V belts I think...not real fond of that...Like the old Scorpion