FH 1100 going back into production

[Goldy]

http://english.peopl...78/7763510.html

 

I love this part "The FH1100 helicopter series to be introduced into China is civil helicopter series widely used all over the world."

 

Really? Seems I recall like 25 of them in the world out of the 246 originally built! I guess there has been no new helicopter technology in the past 52 years, so we'll just go back and use the old designs.

 

Anybody ever actually seen one? Maybe even flown one?

Edited March 21, 2012 by Goldy

[RkyMtnHI]

I saw one in Texas and have spoken with folks that own and fly them for personal use.. so far only heard good things about them. Seems like there was something negative too that i heard from others but can't remember. I actually like the way they look and thus spent time checking into them three years ago. They came out with a C18 i think but were somewhat underpowered (trying to remember what the owners said), the ones with the C20 were better. I know one ATP here in Denver that has 500 hrs in them and said he loved flying them.

 

dp

[ADRidge]

I met a fellow based out of Fort Worth that has one. He takes skydivers up in it. But other than that I don't know of anyone who operates them.

[rick1128]

When I was going to do my instrument rating, I looked at doing at Van Nevel Helicopters. Georges used to own the TC and operated a few at a flight school. The price he was charging was quite low compared to piston helicopters. I had talked with several people who had flown them. They really don't have a bad things to say about them, other than it was prone to mast bumping like the R44. Georges had designed a new nose that looks better, maybe they will use it. The helicopter was quite stable with a SAS system. As for the C18, that's all Allison had at the time. It was designed for the Army LOH program which was won by Hughes. When the Army opened it again, Fairchild Hiller, basically said 'to @#$%^&*( with it!' cause they were upset with all the BS that went on during the first run through. The ride operators like the C18 as it doesn't have any cycle life items, which the later versions do.

 

While it is an older design, it still does the job and the design has matured. The machine is already FAA certified which will cut down their flight test program considerably. Plus have a ready market here in North America, with a loyal following. Hopefully they new owner will start supplying spares for the ones still flying.

[rotor91]

Being made in China is a 20% savings...from the orig. price of $1.3million...ya...I said MILLION!

R91

[adam32]

Mike (Bossman) had one, and he really liked it. They were prone to mast bumping and in turn received the nickname "Killer Hiller". There's a few around for sale, usually under $200k. The FH1100, Hughes 500 and Jetranger all competed for the Army LOH contract and the FH1100 beat out the others in all the testing, but due to other factors Hughes got the Army deal and Bell jumped into the civilian market before Fairchild/Hiller did...

 

And don't forget, Hiller supposedly already opened a factory in China to build the 12E but no one has seen a thing from them yet...don't get too excited over the FH1100...

Edited March 22, 2012 by adam32

[far137oh58c]

I was working in Firebaugh, (2010 & 2011) California & the new location of the Hiller Helicopter junk yard is there. I did see a recip 12e in their yard that was being run up with a few Chinese business type people there. The next day, the Hiller was loaded into a container & never seen again. I went over to say hi but was given the cold shoulder. They have no plans to support the 12e here in the U.S.A as far as I can see. Same old story. I have many hrs in the 12e & it is a proven work horse. What a shame.

[adam32]

I was working in Firebaugh, (2010 & 2011) California & the new location of the Hiller Helicopter junk yard is there. I did see a recip 12e in their yard that was being run up with a few Chinese business type people there. The next day, the Hiller was loaded into a container & never seen again. I went over to say hi but was given the cold shoulder. They have no plans to support the 12e here in the U.S.A as far as I can see. Same old story. I have many hrs in the 12e & it is a proven work horse. What a shame.

 

Yup, I had a guy come down from Alaska to buy my C and he went to the "factory" and wanted two zero time E's to send to the Philippines. He called them from their parking lot and they wouldn't even let him in the door!! It's a real shame since there's not much out there that can replace the E's in the ag world.

[viperpro 90]

I actually worked for Georges Van Nevel in the U.S. before he took the FH1100 abroad. I was his parts manager in charge of his inventory of FH1100 and other parts. Wow at the things i could say about this helicopter.Ever hear of how he acquired the rights to this copter from Hiller Fairchild? I certainly do.. it would make you sick.I was around when his son,Remy,was wooed into helping out.He has since moved back to Paris,France. Georges left a town 2 million dollars in debt due to unpaid rent on a manufacturing facility in Florida. As i said i know about this company and this design. Be thankful its the Chinese problem now!!

[Dragbrace]

Flew the 1100 when it first came out. With the C-18 engines the Hiller was a slightly better performer than the Bell 206A

[adam32]

 

I actually worked for Georges Van Nevel in the U.S. before he took the FH1100 abroad. I was his parts manager in charge of his inventory of FH1100 and other parts. Wow at the things i could say about this helicopter.Ever hear of how he acquired the rights to this copter from Hiller Fairchild? I certainly do.. it would make you sick.I was around when his son,Remy,was wooed into helping out.He has since moved back to Paris,France. Georges left a town 2 million dollars in debt due to unpaid rent on a manufacturing facility in Florida. As i said i know about this company and this design. Be thankful its the Chinese problem now!!

 

 

Is George doing anything with it now? Any parts still floating around?

[Nearly Retired]

Georges moved it all, lock stock and barrel out of the country. Parts are..."iffy." Some are available...some, like new main and tail rotor blades simply are not. There are still a lot of surplus parts on the market, but you have to be very, VERY careful about their history.

 

The Chinese bought the rights to produce it (which probably really means "build it, reverse-engineer it, then sell it as their own").

 

"Everyone" was expecting this huge boom in China's general aviation industry. "Everyone" thought their economy was SO strong and just ripe for the kind of expansion that would make the modern world's Industrial Revolution seem like a footnote in the history books. Chinese investors gleefully began buying up existing "western" aircraft designs, to include antiquated oddities like the Brantly and piston-engine Hiller. You had to scratch your head and wonder, "What are they thinking??"

 

The FH1100 could still be viable in the way the R-66 is. They're both very similar for the roles in which they'd be employed. I mean, other than a Type Certificate 25 years newer than the FH1100's, what's really different about the R-66?

 

Then the world economic crash happened beginning in 2008. And then we realized that not only was China's economy not as strong as "everyone" thought, but their interest in general aviation was...well...limited. The money has dried up. And so we don't see factories springing up that are churning out dozens of Brantly B2B's and Hiller 12E's every month (the eggs) for a market (the chicken) that hasn't even begun to exist.

[adam32]

They are churning out A-Star knock offs...selling it as "their own"...

[aeroscout]

If the chinese thought they could destroy America with a buildup in commercial aviation, like the investments they have made in cyberwarfare, Katy bar the door !

[bossman]

The FH1100 was a good helicopter. It just had no support.

[adam32]

The FH1100 was a good helicopter. It just had no support.

 

MIKE!!!! You are back!!! How's everything? I take it your FH1100 is down the road...?

[500E]

Bossman long time no hear, no see.

Good to hear from you

[bossman]

 

MIKE!!!! You are back!!! How's everything? I take it your FH1100 is down the road...?

Yea, the 1100 we had went to Texas. Parts were becoming an issue. Working the machine was racking up too much time, sold it to a private owner.

[bossman]

Bossman long time no hear, no see.

Good to hear from you

Glad to see you "old guys" are still around. Been pretty busy. How goes it?

[500E]

Us old farts have good days as well

Sorry to hear about 1100 could have gone well but no back up so no use, hope all is moving forward