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Enstrom Company going strong?


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Please pardon a perhaps dumb question from a newbie. Fresh commercial in R-22, ready to buy recip machine for myself for time-building and fun. Looking at 269s, & ads for Enstroms. I was advised by a friend who had been researching $ for time items coming up on a 269 I was looking at, that he'd heard Enstrom was shaky (no pun intended) as far as the future.

Any truth to what he's heard? Many thanks for any advice. Eliot Cross SGJ

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I've got a couple hundred hours in both the enstrom and 300cb. Hands down the Enstrom is a nicer aircraft. Faster, more manueverable, much more powerful and can legitamately hold 3 pax. Maintenance is actually very low as there are only about 12 or so time limited parts on it. The Achilles heel of the Enstrom is the Lamiflex couplings though. They have a 2 year from date of manufacture life span and go out pretty fast. The one I used to fly had a pretty bad track and balance problem due to the lamiflex couplings but it never to long to fix. Support was also pretty good and if a part needed replacing they would usually get it there next day with no problems. Hope this helps.

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Many thanks to the veteran posters for taking the time do advise me. I was just worried about buying a machine that might have the manufacturer go TU & have parts be a problem.

I'm looking in around the 150k range. Haven't even flown an Enstrom yet. I know I like the 269, but didn't want to discount looking at Enstroms.

An early normally aspirated motored 28 is what I was thinking about, as I'm in FL, & don't plan on going into high country.

I know I'll never regret learning in a R-22, but I don't want one.

In re: Helonorth's advice about Tomlinson; that's where I got the 269 time. I'm sure I'll be back there as they're familiar w/ both aircraft, and I left there impressed with their operation.

I appreciate you guys taking the time to advise someone brand-new to helicopters.

Eliot Cross

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Eliot, if you are planning on getting an Enstrom, spend the extra money on the turbo charged one. Even in Florida you need the extra power on the hot, humid days out there. You can easily find one with decent time in the price range you mentioned. They are great to fly once you get used to using the Coolie hat. You can pretty much trim it out to fly hands off in a hover and in cruise can trim it out to just needing to lean to get it to turn. The biggest cause of accidents in the Enstrom is Low Rotor Rpm. They have no corelator or governer (at least for the older ones) and since it has a high inertia rotor system if you get behind on the rpm at low altitude you might not be able to recover. I have personally seen this happen to someone resulting in the aircraft going down. (thankfully no injuries) If you just keep yourself ahead of it though it is no problem and an awesome aircraft to fly. If I was ever to fly a piston again it would be between that or a Bell 47. If you are interested in them I can put you in touch with someone in Florida that probably knows more about that aircraft than the factory does.

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I worked with a guy who owned and operated one commercially and he loved to fly it. However he said the operating cost is about the same as an R44 and that the maintenance was a bear.

 

We've owned and operated all of the piston helicopters, ie. Enstrom, 300, r44, B47, etc. The enstrom is by far the most expensive to operate, but does have its advantages. It is very close in DOC to the R44. Actually when you break down the numbers at the end of a two year cycle, the R44 is cheaper to own and run. The R44 also has an additional seat.

 

Now, we love flying the enstrom, and there is not a single safer piston ship when the motor stops. Those gigantic blades turn forever! The tail rotor is outstanding. Outstanding for shooting High Def. Three extremely smooth blades make filming a dream.

 

What kills the DOC, is nearly every single part has a different TBO. So if the bird is working for a living, it's constantly having things replaced. Maintenance is a BEAR. If you don't have a GOOD ENSTROM facility nearby, your average helo mechanic will cost you thousands in the learning curve, if they fix your issue at all. Many non-enstrom experienced mechanics are parts changers....not what you need with an enstrom.

 

And yes, Enstrom is still struggling overall, but getting better. What they need is Robinson's Marketing genius! It is a great product.

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I've got a couple hundred hours in both the enstrom and 300cb. Hands down the Enstrom is a nicer aircraft. Faster, more manueverable, much more powerful and can legitamately hold 3 pax. Maintenance is actually very low as there are only about 12 or so time limited parts on it. The Achilles heel of the Enstrom is the Lamiflex couplings though. They have a 2 year from date of manufacture life span and go out pretty fast. The one I used to fly had a pretty bad track and balance problem due to the lamiflex couplings but it never to long to fix. Support was also pretty good and if a part needed replacing they would usually get it there next day with no problems. Hope this helps.

 

Actually Its 5 years on the Lamiflex bearings, and that 5 years starts once you install them as long as they are double bagged.

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  • 1 month later...

I fly the Enstrom 480B (turbine) for work and it has been a great ship. I have about 250 hours in it so far and like flying it much better than the Bells we operate. Performance/power, slope landing capabilities and tail rotor effectivness are it's main strong points in my work. Efficiency and economy are prety good when compared to others lke it and initial purchase costs were a lot less meaning more and better equipment for less $$.

 

I'm also looking to buy the Enstrom recip model for myself as a retirement aircraft some time in the next year or so. I'll likely operate a small business with it single pilot doing photography, aerial survey, etc as I can operate from my home. More of a way to supplement my flying rather than supplement the retirement income.

 

Factory support for our new ship (Sept 2006) has been fantastic. Parts always available and when our mechanic encounters problems the tech guys at the factory have always been willing to diagnose & work it out with them on the phone in front of the aircraft.

 

Don't let the trim system hold you back. You get used to it quickly and will end up missing it when you fly other aircraft. It's great to be able to trim for hover and cruise flight. We use ours in some rather strict flight protocols. It's a lot easier to remain on accurate GPS tracks all trimmed out, only applying corrections when we reverse course on the next transect.

 

From my limited recip Enstrom experience, it does share many of the flight and performance characteristics of the turbine model.

 

Probably a good investment if you decide to go that way.

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I've got a couple hundred hours in both the enstrom and 300cb. Hands down the Enstrom is a nicer aircraft. Faster, more manueverable, much more powerful and can legitamately hold 3 pax. Maintenance is actually very low as there are only about 12 or so time limited parts on it. The Achilles heel of the Enstrom is the Lamiflex couplings though. They have a 2 year from date of manufacture life span and go out pretty fast. The one I used to fly had a pretty bad track and balance problem due to the lamiflex couplings but it never to long to fix. Support was also pretty good and if a part needed replacing they would usually get it there next day with no problems. Hope this helps.

 

Sounds like a mechanic that doesn't have a firm grasp on setting up the blades. They are tricky for the mechanic that only occasionally works on them. Once set up, they should perform perfectly.

 

The lamiflex bearings are 5 years - install - as stated by Galadrium. If set up correctly, you will not find a smoother piston aircraft.

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  • 2 months later...
Also make sure you contact Roger Sharkey about enstroms. He is the enstrom expert...bar none. Enstrom and the FAA go to him for info and expert advice.

 

www.sharkeys.com

After looking at a lot of machines from early A models on, several C models, decided to blow the whole wad I got out of my fixed-wing sale and get a nice '89 FX that Sharkey had. You pay now, or you pay later anyway. And while you're paying later your helicopter is down too.

I just can't say enough positive about Roger's operation up there. I got great training. The first day he's showing me stuff that I'm not believing; the next day I'm flying the same exercises.

For a REALLY low time rotorguy that came out of a -22, my comfort level in the Enstrom makes flying a heck of a lot more fun.

The trip home to FL found me in winds that would have been scary in the -22 (& probably contrary to something in SFAR73).

There may be times when working on the Enstrom in July/august in FL that I'll be saying "gee whiz, this would be a lot easier on a

269", but I know I'll get great support from Sharkey down the road.

It hasn't been my intent to bash Robbies; these are just two very different machines.. Eliot Cross SGJ

ps, bought an hour in the 480 while I was there too. From a flying standpoint at my lowtime level I liked it as much as a 206

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Congratulations! You will LOVE the enstrom! And Roger will take care of you. Early in the late 90's, when I first started up a flight school I bought a 28C from him. I spent every dime I had on the purchase price and insurance. On the trip home, the windscreen was damaged. A new one was $4000 which I didn't have. Roger sent me a new one....free. Bought two more birds from him. He has helped me out more times than I can remember. He is a class act.

 

Make sure you go up to see him for your yearly insurance checkrides. I learn something every time!

 

As for the winds....I have flown the 280 is some scary winds coming across Kansas and getting surrounded by Sqwall lines...gotta love Kansas. The bird is extremely stable and forgiving.

 

In the summer....just take the doors off. Instant AC!

 

Congrats again!

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Oh, I noticed that 53PC has an older radio stack. Are you, or did you upgrade it to a nice shiny new Garmin stack?

My "blow the whole wad" is akin to your "last dime" situation on the first purchase. After FL sales tax, insurance, and getting a dolly fabbed or storebought, I don't see throwing money at the panel. There's more there than I really need now anyway. BTW, I'd heard plans/drawings from which a guy could build a 12x14 dolly can be downloaded from somewhere; do you know where?

I'll for sure be back every year for recurrent trng. He makes learning fun, and a florida boy needs to go north and see snow once a year anyway. cheers, Eliot Cross

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My "blow the whole wad" is akin to your "last dime" situation on the first purchase. After FL sales tax, insurance, and getting a dolly fabbed or storebought, I don't see throwing money at the panel. There's more there than I really need now anyway. BTW, I'd heard plans/drawings from which a guy could build a 12x14 dolly can be downloaded from somewhere; do you know where?

I'll for sure be back every year for recurrent trng. He makes learning fun, and a florida boy needs to go north and see snow once a year anyway. cheers, Eliot Cross

 

We built our own 12' x 12' dolly. If I had to do it again, I would buy a pre-made one. Although the one we built was very good, by the time you finish paying for supplies and labor to build it (even your time costs money), we could have bought one. There's an outfit by you in Florida:

 

www.helicopterdolly.com (Manhandler Helicopter Dolly) that makes dollies for reasonable prices.

 

You can also watch ebay, craigslist, etc. There are always some on there.

 

I don't have the plans any longer, nor do I know of a site to look for plans.

 

Enjoy!

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