Stuart & Kathryn Fields wrote:
Well I own and fly a Baby Belle helicopter. I also publish the Experimental
Helo Magazine. I expect my position as a magazine publisher got me the
opportunity to try the Mosquito. Dwight Junkin, who is involved in the
Mosquito via the fiberglass fuselage, offered to show me his bird in the
air. After a circuit or two, he landed and asked me if I would like to try
it!! Whoo Haa!! How do you get checked out in a little single seat
helicopter that can qualify as an Ultralight? Dwight said 6,000 engine rpm
and 1600 EGT and backed away from the bird. Expecting a real sensitive
little bugger I carefully applied power. Approximately 15-20 seconds later
I was in a stable hover just setting there. I found the little bugger
easier to hover than my Baby Belle. I hover taxied the ship around the
field a couple of times and took it back to Dwight. If my wife hadn't said
"Two Seats" and wanted to take dual in the helicopter, I would probably have
one of these little buggers. I'm not fond of the two stroke engines (I used
to race motorcycles) but the current little two stroke engine with the
ceramic coated pistons seems to be holding up quite well. The factory is
also pursuing a 4 stroke engine which will probably take the little ship out
of the Ultralight category. While definitely NOT advisable, there are at
least three people who taught themselves to fly the Mosquito without any
prior helicopter time. This, while not the smartest move in town indicates
how user friendly the little ship is. People that I've talked to say the
Mosquito is quite a bit easier to fly than the R-22.
Hell the more I talk about the Mosquito and remember my experience, the more
I want one. Look out budget.


It sounds like it has a fair amount of rotor inertia for its size, so it
must autorotate well too? An ultralight helicopter with a reliable 4
stroke and that autorotates well would be just the ticket.

Now, as a normal helicopter person, would *you* go within 50 feet of an
AeroScooter?