cl600pilot Posted March 28, 2007 Posted March 28, 2007 Long time fixed wing guy looking at getting into rotor wing - without getting into the Jet Ranger type equipment, what options are out there as far as 4 seaters go?? In regards to weight and balance issues, is it realistic to put 4 people in an R44 and fly for 1.5 hours?? Thanks! Quote
southernweyr Posted March 29, 2007 Posted March 29, 2007 Humingbird sells a four seat kit built helicopter. Of course there is the 44 which can take 4 people for 1.5 hours. I have done a quite a few hours in a 44 with 3 to 4 people comfortably. Quote
Goldy Posted March 29, 2007 Posted March 29, 2007 Humingbird sells a four seat kit built helicopter. Of course there is the 44 which can take 4 people for 1.5 hours. I have done a quite a few hours in a 44 with 3 to 4 people comfortably. Lets not forget 4 people and probably 120 MPH..not much room for luggage though. The R44 has to be the best thing going right now..and the price is half of what you would spend with a turbine...gee, maybe thats why its the best selling helicopter ever ! Quote
Autorotator Posted March 29, 2007 Posted March 29, 2007 Long time fixed wing guy looking at getting into rotor wing - without getting into the Jet Ranger type equipment, what options are out there as far as 4 seaters go?? In regards to weight and balance issues, is it realistic to put 4 people in an R44 and fly for 1.5 hours?? Thanks!Goldy is absolutely correct. Robinson is the number 1 helicopter. It's reliable and cheap(er). Low maintenance, and burns less fuel then say a jet ranger which burns approx 25 gph where as in the R44 II, I fly burns 16 gph. Also you could put four 200lb people in it and still put 33 gallons in it. It is also faster then a jet ranger with Vne at 130kts. All in all Robinson blows any other helicopter out of the sky for the price and needless to say they have a great reputation for safety. If you decide to go with a Robby and pick it up at the factory in Torrance CA, when you take the tour of their facility you will be amazed at the quality of product they produce. Good luck. Quote
spw1177 Posted March 29, 2007 Posted March 29, 2007 Also you could put four 200lb people in it and still put 33 gallons in it. It is also faster then a jet ranger with Vne at 130kts. This is only true of the machine if you are operating from low altitutes. If you are operating from high altitudes, you have to lose the fourth person, get slimmer passengers, or carry less fuel. Quote
cl600pilot Posted March 29, 2007 Author Posted March 29, 2007 Thanks for the replies guys..... Altitude not really an issue - I think the highest around here is maybe 800 MSL. Quote
volition Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 This is only true of the machine if you are operating from low altitutes. If you are operating from high altitudes, you have to lose the fourth person, get slimmer passengers, or carry less fuel. We were doing glacier landings at 8000 feet on the top of mountains with 4 peoples no problem. Quote
Marc D Posted April 1, 2007 Posted April 1, 2007 We were doing glacier landings at 8000 feet on the top of mountains with 4 peoples no problem. I'm just curious. Was that an Astro or a Raven II. Marc D. Quote
spw1177 Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 (edited) We were doing glacier landings at 8000 feet on the top of mountains with 4 peoples no problem. I'll beleive cold and high, but not hot and high. I used to fly a R44 in Colorado, and in the summer you could get D.A.s over 10000 ft. The machine was fully capable in that situation, but you had to leave some weight on the ramp. Edited April 2, 2007 by spw1177 Quote
fatnlazy Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 (edited) Quote: The R44 has to be the best thing going right now.. WHAT??? Quote: All in all Robinson blows any other helicopter out of the sky for the price and needless to say they have a great reputation for safety. What??? The robbie doesn't even come close to the Bell 206 series helicopter in any aspect, especially when it comes to safety. You folks need to step off the Meth. Edited April 2, 2007 by fatnlazy Quote
500E Posted April 3, 2007 Posted April 3, 2007 http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=268532See picture ON PPRUNE And read posts Don't know if I want paint to be the only thing to keep structural integrity . Quote
Pogue Posted April 3, 2007 Posted April 3, 2007 What??? The robbie doesn't even come close to the Bell 206 series helicopter in any aspect, especially when it comes to safety. You folks need to step off the Meth.You mean aside from having sufficient tail rotor authority, unlike the 206... Since you admit to having never set foot in a Robinson product, perhaps you should switch to decaf. Quote
dlo22 Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Quote: The R44 has to be the best thing going right now.. WHAT???Quote: All in all Robinson blows any other helicopter out of the sky for the price and needless to say they have a great reputation for safety. What??? The robbie doesn't even come close to the Bell 206 series helicopter in any aspect, especially when it comes to safety. You folks need to step off the Meth. fat and lazy, you notice the thread says all in all, meaning that it is the most popular, most cost efficient helicopter in the world. """All in all Robinson blows any other helicopter out of the sky for the price""""" key work PRICE. Meaning that there is no argument that the R44 is an awsome helicopter, capable of doing everything the expensive jet ranger can do. The robinson is the cheapest seat to mile cost of any four seat helicopter on the market. It is the most popular four seat helicopter on the market for a reason. plus the r44 is really a safe helicopter, especially compared to the r22. Make sure your brain is loaded, befor shooting off your mouth. Meaning watch what original poster said before knocking it. Oh ya, don't knock it, till you try it niether. While were on the topic of Meth, Using meth while making ridiculous arguments is not safe. while your on your meth binge, change you name to skinny tweaker, fits the profile much better. P.s. please show me a better four seat helicopter for the price of the robbie, cause i think the robbie comes close to the price aspect of a Bell 206, might even be cheaper if I ain't mistaken... Quote
Goldy Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Wow, you guys said it so well, I don't even need to reply !!Goldy Quote
fatnlazy Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Real pilots fly turbine helicopters, I can say that because I used to fly recips as well, then I got a real job in a real helicopter and now look back and can see what an inexperienced punk I was, I used to think that I knew the industry and that I was the sh*t, and then I got a real job in a real helicopter and I work with real pilots. Now that's not to say that you recip guys can't do the same thing but its a different world out here and the only place for a recip is for training, and I consider the robbies to be at the bottom of the pile as far as safety is concerned in the training industry. Only a guy with more money than brains would buy a robbie for personal use. If he was to do some real research before his purchase, like maby fly a B206 then the choice would be simple. I know that I've never flown a 44 and I don't care to, that would be stupid as far as I'm concerned, IT'S A RECIP, I have no use for one. It may be cheaper but the R44 is not a safe helicopter. You make the choice, go cheap and take you and your family's life for a ride or spend the money on the worlds safest light helicopter ever built, not to mention better performance, pax comfort, reliability and resale. And for all of you guys without any real industry turbine time, your opinions do not count. Quote
Pogue Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 And for all of you guys without any real industry turbine time, your opinions do not count. And yours doesn't count till you have something to contribute. Quote
fatnlazy Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 And yours doesn't count till you have something to contribute. I just gave some advice that could possibly save someboby's life, as far as I'm concerned that was a contribution, But you wouldn't see that, your a robbie guy W/an attitude. Quote
Goldy Posted April 5, 2007 Posted April 5, 2007 FNL- If I wanted an opinion on a B206 vs Astar, you would be the first one I would listen to. But how can you be so sure the R44 is such a pile of crap if you have never even flown one? The fact that you have never been in one offering your opinion is like me offering my opinion of a B412...a ship I have never flown..make sense? A month ago I suggested you go up in a R44 and then come back and tell us how you think it compares to a B206. I can tell you where I rent that we have both available to us...and many prefer flying the 44. Fly safe, Goldy Quote
cl600pilot Posted April 7, 2007 Author Posted April 7, 2007 Thanks for the responses - I didn't mean to ignite a 'turbine vs. recip' fight! I'm a big fan of turbine engines and their reliability but I'm a little biased maybe....all but 800 of my 5,000 hours are in turbine equipment and I've had 3 engine problems - all in the recips. The 206 is simply out of the price range - the operating cost is higher, and the 206's that I've seen that are in the R-44 price range are all coming up on their component times. Quote
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