280fxColorado

You would have to be extremely careless to accidentally lean the mixture far enough to kill the engine. In practice, it just takes a few turns on the mixture control in either direction and a glance at exhaust temps on the Graphic Engine Monitor (GEM) to confirm the desired effect. Verify around 1500°F in the hover, lean to ~1590 in cruise flight for best economy, enrich to 1500 prior to landing. The mixture changes and scanning the GEM for proper temps becomes second nature and really lets you optimize the performance of the machine for best power or economy. I used to fly a 280C that wou

I don't know if we should call the Enstrom a "modern helicopter" but proper fuel mixture operation is essential to flying the turbocharged piston Enstroms.

He only waited a couple of minutes after getting the motor turning and warmed up, probably because he was taking extra time to explain the startup for the video. The weight of the drive belt and slight tension on the pulleys will cause the belt will slip and drag a bit even before the clutch handle is engaged, slowly turning the blades (they really aren't turning that fast). Engaging the clutch handle pulls the "Idler Roller" into the belt, fully tensioning it and brings blades up to full RPM. From the Enstrom piston training guide: Belt Clutch Engage System The clutch engagement lever is

Will they? Is it? What if you could purchase and operate many spraying UAS for less than a traditional spray rig? What if those drones could network as a swarm and not just fly singularly? What if you could efficiently map your crops with hyperspectral/multisensor imagery to accurately determine crop health and identify problem areas? What if you could then use targeted micro-application instead of broad stroke prophylactic application? Would that reduce application costs? What if someone builds a drone sized somewhere in between the "jap's toy" and a Hiller/OH-58/BH47/206 or what hav

@helonorth - UAVs most certainly can fly themselves, with extreme precision. Flight paths can be programmed manually or automatically and repeated exactly. Centimeter level precision and absolute accuracy (X,Y,Z) can be achieved with an array of sensors (altimeter, stereoscopic optical height sensor, accelerometers and gyros) and redundant satellite positioning sytems (GPS, GLONASS, RTK GPS, etc) and local positioning systems (LPS). Obstacle avoidance is rather primitive right now, but lightweight and effective solutions are on the horizon. See DJI's new $1400 consumer offering, the Phanto

@Goldy. All that may be true for the 300, not so for the Enstrom. Never had an issue with Enstrom parts support (other than the cost) and AOG overnight shipping has always been a breeze. A 280 loves 85mph (best range speed) and VNE of 117.

Not for long...: Why BNSF Railway is using drones to inspect thousands of miles of rail lines The future of train safety lies in drones

**You want the "Drivers Gradient" non-polarized lens.

+2 Serengeti. Best lenses I've owned. I love them in low light, haze, reduced vis, rain, snow, anything. The contrast And clarity is outstanding. And they are tempered glass and will never scratch!

Revised AD: 20% of inspected spindles showed evidence of cracking! http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/f5030410d75defef86257e23006a16c9/$FILE/2015-08-51_Emergency.pdf

Enstrom main rotor system:

SDB from Enstrom: http://www.enstromhelicopter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SDB01191.pdf http://www.enstromhelicopter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Spindle-MPI-SDB-0119-T-050.pdf

When I was a student pilot we watched a particularly obnoxious and arrogant R44 owner coming in to land at the ramp after a scenic tour over downtown Boston, with the ground handling wheels still attached!! After the blades stopped, he opened the door, beamed a smile our way, and smugly swaggered towards the hangar. He called out and asked if we could bring his ground handling wheels... my CFI pointed back towards the R44. The look on the owners face: PRICELESS. APIAguy is right on the money about "Major Alterations." Regardless, I wouldn't trust a couple zipties to to protect my life, m

About 600hrs in the CB, CBi, and C models. Similar, but different! The 300 is my favorite helicopter to instruct in. Very nimble, smooth, and responsive. Learning to fly it is intuitive - it DOES what you tell it to and what you expect it to do. The 300C also has an impressive payload and range (especially with aux tank). The Enstrom is a bit more of a handful to learn and has some quirks (mostly throttle management) that take some getting used to. But it feels and flies like a much bigger helicopter than the 300. The 28/280 is also MUCH better performer at altitude and can handle turb

The Enstrom should be a solid contender for this role. Reasonably timed used F/FX models can be found under 200k, no problem. What kind of loads are you hoping for? F/Fx models have a useful load of ~900lbs (2600lbs max) C model useful load around 650-700lbs (2350lbs max) Baggage box is very helpful- 108lbs in the F/Fx models, 60lbs in the Cs. I'd recommend the F28F or F28C-2 models for the bigger cabin size - more internal cargo space, roomier for passengers (actually tolerable with 2pax), better view with the wide single-pane windscreen. The doors are also a much better design tha