"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...
BTW: What's this thing cost sans helicopter/electronics? I might
want to blow the dust off the old JR50...



According to his web site, www.helichair.com, (scroll down toward the bottom
of the page and click on the word "products"):

Heli-Chair unit and upgrades - $2,350.00
This includes modifying your transmitter
A flight ready Heli-Chair
Requires final assembly do to shipping limitations.
Does not include the helicopter and support equipment, shipping and crating
costs.

They also have a "turnkey" package that includes everything you need for
$3,875.00
That one includes a Futaba 7CHP radio and a Kyosho Caliber 30 helicopter.
It also includes a pilots log book and FAA training materials.

That brings up another question Kas. Is the flight time a person
accumulates on your Heli-Chair legally loggable toward a flight
certification? My understanding is that simulators have to be certified
before the time on them is considered valid as flight training and there
are, of course, limits to how much time you can log toward a flight rating
while in a simulator.

I hadn't considered the point about "muscle memory". I think I can see
where that part would offer an advantage but if I'm going to spend that kind
of money with the intent of earning a full size flight rating, I'd like that
time to count toward that flight rating. It's expensive enough as is, as
"the OTHER Kevin" can attest to.

For the record, I know it may seem that I'm attacking your product. That's
not really my intent, but I do have some concerns about it from the
standpoint of using the Heli-Chair as a valid training devise while working
toward a full size rating. Based on your response and Kevin's response, I
can see where I may be totally wrong in some of the assumptions I was making
about the usefulness of the Heli-Chair. I "am" intrigued by the Heli-Chair
and as I said before, wouldn't mind giving it a try. In fact, there's a
chance that I'll be in California this coming July (2005) and would be
interested in trying an hour of hover training. The $75 listed on your web
site seem like a reasonable number to satisfy my curiosity if I can work it
into my travel plans and you folks are available. :-)

Best of luck in your endeavors,
Steve R.