Well...Have I got a surprise for you guys. A few years ago Dwight Junkin,
who is involved with the Mosquito, asked me if I wanted to try his Mosquito.
OK I'm helicopter rated, have hovered a UH-1, Safaris, Schweitzer 300CB,
Bell 47s, and a Brantly B2B, and tried to hover a R-22. Here was Dwights
Mosquito that weighs less than 300 #. I knew it was going to be skitterish
as hell and was scared spitless as I slowly raised the collective keeping
the rpm in the green. The little bugger came nicely off the ground and just
set there like a much much heavier helicopter. Withing 15 sec I was hover
taxiing the thing around the field. Having raced two stroke motorcycles I
wasn't inclined to go flying about though without accumulating more faith in
the engine. Bottom line? It was easier to hover than any other helicopter
I've tried with the exception of the Huey. People who have flown both the
R-22 and the Mosquito say the Mosquito is much easier to fly. Now I don't
have any experience or second hand info on the AW-95.
The Exec that I hovered felt very much like a Safari.

"JohnO" wrote in message
...
On Dec 8, 6:48 am, "Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net
wrote:
Richard Riley wrote:

Small helicopters are FAR harder to fly than large ones. I've had the
opportunity to fly a Blackhawk for a half hour or so, and have a dozen
hours in Robinson R-22's. The Robinsons are good trainers because if
you can fly one, you can fly any helo out there. It's like ballancing
a broom vrs. ballencing a pencil.

I would imagine a single place homebuilt would be much more difficult
to fly than a Robinson.

You are so right. I got to fly a 206 for about 30 minutes a year or so
ago.
All of my previous helicopter flight had been in an R-22. With the
exception
of some systems operations which is "book learning" stuff the 206 was
much
eaiser to fly.

I'd expect the same but am told the somewhat more flimsy and
underpowered Rotorway ships are easier to hover than a Robbie.