I am certainly in need of opinions and indeed would learn in the R22 (near
Chattanooga). My concern is with the live limit on the Robinson products.
Would the rebuild cost come out even when compared with the on-going costs
but w/o the live limit on a Bell? What about 5 pax (and their
handkerchiefs) capability? Would a Raven handle that?

I fly about 300 hrs/yr and 1/2 of it is fly 20min, p/u 2 pax, fly 30 min.
p/u 2 more then on to a meeting. Helicopter seems like a viable option for
my needs. I'm not adverse to the cost within reason. I'll keep the Bo' for
Angel Flights and where weather and distance don't make sense.

--

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.

VOsborne2 at charter dot net
"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...
On Tue, 14 Jun 2005 21:01:13 -0400, "Victor J. Osborne, Jr."
wrote:

Forgive the question if it has been beat to death but "What is good a
aircraft to start with in getting a rotorcraft rating? I currently have
an
A36 Bonanza with a CP-ASEL. I live in TN. I don't think I want to deal
with R44's based on comments from some in our area. I'm leaning toward
the
Bell's due to same comments. But I find it easy to recommend what I know
so
I solicit the comments

Thx In Advance, {|;-)


I'm interested in the seemingly negative comments regarding the R44.
I think the R44 is a very very nice flying machine in which
autoratations are almost a non-event. , I'm also wondering why you'd
want to start learning whirly-birds in one. (unless of course you've
got lots of money)

What about the venerable R22? If you can learn to fly one of those
well, you can fly pretty much anything well and the operating costs
for a 22 are much less than a 44.

I know of a school up the line from me that trains in Bell 47Gs, but
the hourly rate is a bit higher than the 22s as well.

Talking with the AI at my school one day, I asked about prhaps
aquiring a 47G. He said the maintenance on them is pretty brutal
money-wise and that drives up the operational costs. He suggested i
find a nice mid-time (1,000 or so hours) R22 and fly the crap out of
it until it's timed out then sell it on E-bay...