Flying Pig Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) MD has an AD that every 35 hours that the rotor blade roots have to be checked for developing cracks. When the MD tech rep was out, he said it came from Christmas tree haulers sling-shoting the loads so they could pick up more. He went on to say that they were getting a lot of issues dealing with over torques as well. I don't know anything about the tree industry, but I do long line. I guess there are demands in the industry when time is money. It would be interesting to know how many over torques occur as a result of that technique as well. Some of the things I've see where guys actually transition into forward flight while their load is still on the ground and you can actually see the slack for a brief second when the load gets jerked off the ground. Not to say everyone does that.... All it takes is one pilot to do it and one A&P to find it during Mx and its now an AD...... but anyway, thats where it came from per the MD rep. I shouldnt make blanket statements like that. If the helo is in good condition its in good condition regardless of the job it does. A lot of those guys/gals I see who do that kind of work have made a true art form out of long lining! Edited September 4, 2012 by Flying Pig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsta1ker Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Like this? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Id love to pick up a gig like that. Id take a couple weeks off and go moonlight. Everytime I long line its in the freakin mountains, over power lines in a canyon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Id love to pick up a gig like that. Id take a couple weeks off and go moonlight. Everytime I long line its in the freakin mountains, over power lines in a canyon!But of course, the question is, which helo ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Me.... the 500 . of course the guy in the 206 had a cooler nex to him. Thats gotta score at least a 1/2 point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Me.... the 500 . of course the guy in the 206 had a cooler nex to him. Thats gotta score at least a 1/2 pointCan't beat the cooler copilot. But we didn't get to see the 500's copilot, it might have been a freezer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Since many many folks do it, he already have both 206 and Robinson in his school. Okay then. If your friends’ school already uses the Bell/ Robinson products and they book them regularly, then ask the question; what machine is booked more often and could the school support another machine of that make? Or, if the Robinson and Bell product is already making adequate revenue, then what additional make may be appealing to it's customers. Maybe a Bell 47, S300 or the MD500. If the school is interested with providing a quality education to its customers, then a diverse fleet is one way to accomplish this. Edited September 4, 2012 by Spike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Like this?http://youtu.be/0yJb-i4_4fI 80% Pilot.10% Machine. Production is all about the skill of the labor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 80% Pilot.10% Machine. Production is all about the skill of the labor. That leaves 10%, unless the pilot isn't going all out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearly Retired Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Yeah yeah yeah, everybody has their preferences and strong opinions on why you should buy THEIR choice of helicopter, even if it is not one of the ones you are considering. But here's the deal if you really do have $700,000 to spend and are really looking for a helicopter: Get a consultant. Not a broker or an agent or a salesman. Not a civilian pilot who's currently flying something. And not a military pilot who has no civilian experience. Find an impartial expert- not any of the idiots that populate the various internet discussion boards- find a real expert who actually knows something about helicopters and isn't influence by *his* prejudices and preferences about what he thinks you need or want. Sit down with him and have a realistic discussion about how much you want to spend (initial and recurring) and how much you're really going to fly. Anyone can spout off the DOC's provided by the manufacturer. But these do not tell the whole story. Get your consultant to produce spreadsheets of how much each aircraft will cost you per year depending on how much you fly it. The numbers will be eye-opening. There are advantages and disadvantages to every helicopter. Every single-engine helicopter can be had in just about every price range, depending on aircraft total time, component times and what it's been doing all its life. (Although having said that, there are *NO* $100,000 turbine helicopters - at least no good, safe, airworthy ones that you can still get parts for, period, end or story. They do not exist.) There is a lot to consider. Both the R-44 and Bell 206 are fine aircraft that will give you plenty of fun and good service. But so is the 500, and so is the 480, and so is the 120. FInd a consultant. Somebody you can trust. And then good luck to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Quote from Nearly Retired... "not any of the idiots that populate the various internet discussion boards-" Are we all in this together ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsta1ker Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Quote from Nearly Retired... "not any of the idiots that populate the various internet discussion boards-" Are we all in this together ? Well of course he hardly counts. He's Nearly Retired! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldy Posted September 6, 2012 Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 Not everyone with that kind of money wants to turn his helicopter into a business. However, if you want to go spend 700K I would add in the R66 and E480B. Hard to say what is the best without knowing where and how you want to fly. That said, the B206 would be near the bottom of my list....as far as the video, unbelievable work of art the way that pilot flies a line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helonorth Posted September 6, 2012 Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 How much time do you have in a 206 to put it at the bottom of your list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted September 6, 2012 Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 That leaves 10%, unless the pilot isn't going all out. 10% is the unknown. Call it luck, fate, in-the-zone, whatever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted September 6, 2012 Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 (edited) Not everyone with that kind of money wants to turn his helicopter into a business. However, if you want to go spend 700K I would add in the R66 and E480B. Hard to say what is the best without knowing where and how you want to fly. That said, the B206 would be near the bottom of my list....as far as the video, unbelievable work of art the way that pilot flies a line. Believe it or not...... that isnt to difficult. It would take you a few runs to get the speed, flare point and alt just right. After that..... its just repetition. Funny..... weed flies just like a tree Edited September 6, 2012 by Flying Pig 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopper3 Posted September 7, 2012 Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 After you consider what everyone else said above, I'd say an R44 with high inertia rotors if it fits your usage needs. Not because it's a better machine, it's not, but because (recurrent) training, maintenance, and insurance expenses will be so much less. In my experience very little of the cost of owning a helicopter has anything to do with its purchase price. I've been the sole owner/operator of a B-III for more than 10 years. I love the machine and would never switch to a 44 or 500, but thats mostly because I'm very stuck in my ways now. I know the machine pretty cold and all of its "interestingnesses" are second nature. I've got some time in a 500, and they are great and fun, but all the other stuff you'll need becomes more challenging than it is with a Bell or Robinson. Ok, let me modify my 44 recommendation a bit. If you have $700K to spend and you can easily afford >$100K/year toward all the other stuff then go ahead and consider a 206 (or 500 if you love a challenge). They've got an excellent safety record, and will try to kill you less if you maintain them well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted September 7, 2012 Report Share Posted September 7, 2012 The 206 has the best safety record of any aircraft model, fixed-wing or helicopter, in the history of aviation. And, it has this excellent safety record despite the fact that operators around the world use the 206 for very dangerous jobs and with varying degrees of maintenance. The 205, 206 and 47 (with weighted blades) have the best autorotation capability of any helicopter made, with the possible exception of the S55T. Forty plus years of intense operations in every possible field and clime have worked out all the bugs in the 206. No mysteries remain regarding repairing, maintaining and rebuilding 206's. I've worked a 206 in the desert, jungles, in the snow, above 13,000', on floats, downtown and in the middle of real nowhere. No brainer. That said, I'd go to one of those outfits that rebuild and resell wrecked and offshore 206's, and I'd get an L model on low skids. For airport operations, you can load up all the seats in an L model and give the family and friends a nice safe ride they'll remember fondly. Put that puppy on tall skids and you just make it hard to get in and out of the helicopter and you don't raise the tail rotor that much. My long-time associates who have forty years of long line work genuinely love the 500, but they don't pay the bills to operate it, and they don't give friends rides in them. For a regular guy looking for a great helicopter for fun and whatever, nothing touches a 206. And, as for making money, if you can't make money with a 206, you can't make money. A real helicopter that has done everything everywhere with no apologies or exceptions. Oh, yes, and the numbers. The most numerous turbine-powered helicopters in the world, in order: 1. Mi-8 2. 204/5 3. 206 The most numerous piston-powered helicopters in the world: 1. Bell 47 2. R22 That says something. And, besides, gasoline stinks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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