Schweizer 333 Turbine

[RkyMtnHI]

Howzit everybody.. the school i am training at (Rotors of the Rockies, Denver) just took delivery of a really nice 333 turbine. It was my first close look at one since Houston and i thought some of you might want to see it and/or hear about it. I was amazed at how quiet it was while flying, and how much of it is exactly like the 300. This one is much nicer looking than the one at the expo and doesn't look so out of proportion, guess it's the paint job, or it just grows on you. I understand that it has the same turbine as the 206?? But is lighter? So it should really go. I will have more info as i get to fly it, I plan to do my instrument training in it.

 

aloha,

 

dp

 

ps, this is the first time i'm including photos... hope it works! gulp!

[C of G]

I still say if you shrank that thing down and put some treble hooks on it, that would make a hell af a fishing lure.

[AngelFire_91]

I'm just woundering since I haven't seen any schools that offer a 333 yet, how much are they planning on charging for it?

[Darkhorse]

I wonder how it will compare in operational cost compared to the FH100, same engine I think?

[adam32]

I'm just woundering since I haven't seen any schools that offer a 333 yet, how much are they planning on charging for it?

 

 

If they want to use it primarily as an IFR trainer then they need to make it close to a R44....

[Goldy]

If they want to use it primarily as an IFR trainer then they need to make it close to a R44....

 

 

The 333 will never compete with the R44. Just the turbine costs alone kill it. However it is a great looking ship, and can lift its own weight. I have always wanted to fly one since I saw the 4 seat configured ship at HAI Anaheim about 3 years ago.

 

I just dont know anyone in LA that has one !

 

Maybe a couple will come on the market with the new ship announced.

 

Let us know how you like flying it.

Edited March 27, 2008 by Goldy

[Rogue917]

This school is currently offering IFR training in the 300c, R44 and 333 and soon the EC120 as well. We'll see how the costs of them stack up against each other.

[RkyMtnHI]

The 333 will never compete with the R44. Just the turbine costs alone kill it. However it is a great looking ship, and can lift its own weight. I have always wanted to fly one since I saw the 4 seat configured ship at HAI Anaheim about 3 years ago.

 

The price is going to be somewhere just under $600 per hour w/instructor, wet.

 

The 44 is about $100 less.. but please don't quote me yet, i will get back to you when i start seeing my account balance plummet and can post for sure!!

 

I just dont know anyone in LA that has one !

 

You could always come visit us!! Lots of reasons to come to Denver.

 

 

Maybe a couple will come on the market with the new ship announced.

 

Maybe so...

 

Let us know how you like flying it.

 

Will do, and as soon as i figure out how to work the gallery i will put up some larger photos.

 

It looks like it will be a couple of weeks until i can get a slot but i'll let you know then.

 

dp

 

dp

[RkyMtnHI]

Hi Folks, bumping this back to the top to let you know that there is a review of a flight in the 333 on the EC120 string. Also that i am scheduled to fly in it this week, and weather permitting i too will post a few words and some more photos.

 

aloha,

dp

[adam32]

Hi Folks, bumping this back to the top to let you know that there is a review of a flight in the 333 on the EC120 string. Also that i am scheduled to fly in it this week, and weather permitting i too will post a few words and some more photos.

 

aloha,

dp

 

Whats the hourly rate on it?

[helicodger pilot]

Oops! Sorry, I originally posted this on the EC120 thread, not realizing this thread was running. For continuity I'm cross posting it here and hoping the forum moderator won't object!

 

 

The 333 is up and running, will get in it asap!

 

Well, RkyMtnHi, I beat you to it. Friday afternoon I got my first hour as PIC in a turbine powered helicopter, being in this case Rotors' Schweizer 333. I just passed my CPL (h) add-on checkride the week before and have been wanting to give the 333 a try - but not until I'd gotten the flight test out of the way. So with that out of the way and a whopping 125 hours logged in the 300C I hopped into the 333 with Mike to see what an extra 90 HP can do.

 

The starting sequence for a tubine is a bit intimidating, not because it's all that complex or difficult, but due to the potential for doing some enormously expensive damage to a quarter-million dollar engine if you screw up. Tends to focus one's attention...

Once past that, I have to admit to being enough of a kid still to get a real thrill out of hearing that turbine whine ascending into the frequencies that only dogs can hear. For that moment anyway, you no longer even care what an hour in this baby costs- it's worth every dime!

 

With the rotor and N2 tach in the green, ATIS copied, and all the other usual chores done it was finally time to pull pitch and find out what a 300C on steroids is really like. And guess what? It's a lot like a 300C on steroids! Same control feel, same good handling charactaristics, just a nice comfortable, familiar feel to the ship. It was a bit odd to NOT be adjusting the twist grip on the collective and to be watching the torque gauge closely rather than Nr, and of course the instructor seat is about a 5 minute walk to the north of you (...W-I-D-E body...) but mainly the ship did just what I expected it to do, just when I expected it to do it. Visibility (except directly aft) is as good as the 300c, too despite the large center console. So, a short, comfortable hover taxi over to Bravo taxiway and it's time to go fly!

 

After a rather more enthusiastic climb-out than I'm used to we leveled out and Mike had me increase power gradually to see if we would hit the TOT or the torque limits first. Conditions on Friday were such that both gauges got to the yellow arc at the same time. At that power setting another difference between the 300C and the 330 became evident. The last time I saw the airspeed indicator on a 300C over 100 KIAS at 7000' MSL was - well, never. But the Rolls engine urges the triple-3 along quite smartly, thank you. We weren't trying to evaluate cruise speed so didn't try to get real precise about temps, speeds, pressure altitude and such but my impression is that you need to pay attention or you'll blow right past the 104 Kt VNE. Not fast compared to other turbine helicopters, the EC120 being the obvious comparison in this thread, but keeping in mind the frame of reference - 300C - it's not too shabby.

 

Back at the airport getting slowed down for the approach - or should I say NOT getting slowed down - again emphasized that the 333 is a lot slipperier than the 300C. (Makes sense, I guess. A tuna is more streamlined than a dragonfly... ) From my fixed wing days I'd say it's like the difference between a Cessna 172 and a V35 Bonanza- you have to plan ahead a little more. I even had to do a mini quick-stop manuever on downwind once to get set up for the approach profile (try that in your Bonanza!) but once I got the speed and power down where they belonged the rest was a non-event.

 

From a low-time pilot's viewpoint I'd have to say that so far, (and I'm well aware that it takes more than one whole hour to become competent) the transition from 300C piston power to 333 turbine power seems like and pretty easy step. At $595 an hour (wet with CFI) it's nearly double the cost of the 300C so most folks won't want to do their entire training in the 333, but as far as I'm concerned I got my $$$ worth and I'm going to fly it some more.

Just as soon as I find my hammer and piggy bank.