Revolution Mini 500 - is it buildable?

I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

Jim, it is either the most successful Kit built helicopter ever offered
or the worst murder weapon created by mankind. This would depend on your
peers and their personal experience and your tendency to be impressed by
their opinion. So if you are in fact not just a troll and are a A&P I
think you have enough intellect to answer your own question.

Inspect the kit and use the judgement you would use to make decissions
in your field of expertise and you will be satisfied.



"Jim Anglin" wrote in message
link.net...
I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at
the least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all
there and has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have
poked around in cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane,
some of which is not good and some of which is really bad. I was
wondering if the experts here would know if this could be built by a
competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe airplane? If it is true that
parts of the kit were never delivered, is there a source of parts or
plans to fabircate them? The one place on the net I could have gotten
some real info seems to have been deleted (mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

Yes I believe he is just a troll, LOL Just kidding Jim.


Jerry




Bob wrote:
Jim, it is either the most successful Kit built helicopter ever offered
or the worst murder weapon created by mankind. This would depend on your
peers and their personal experience and your tendency to be impressed by
their opinion. So if you are in fact not just a troll and are a A&P I
think you have enough intellect to answer your own question.

Inspect the kit and use the judgement you would use to make decissions
in your field of expertise and you will be satisfied.



"Jim Anglin" wrote in message
link.net...

I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at
the least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all
there and has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have
poked around in cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane,
some of which is not good and some of which is really bad. I was
wondering if the experts here would know if this could be built by a
competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe airplane? If it is true that
parts of the kit were never delivered, is there a source of parts or
plans to fabircate them? The one place on the net I could have gotten
some real info seems to have been deleted (mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

"Jim Anglin" wrote in message
I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a
safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

A competent heli A&P would see that he wouldn't touch it for fear of
liability. It could be reworked into a nice machine, but for nearly the same
money, you can buy a Rotorway kit and have a second seat.

D.

Dear Jim,

I am the most qualified person to answer your question. If you believe
the bad things wrote by people here or not, makes absolutely no
deference. The Mini-500 no longer has factory support. Any kit-built
helicopter that has no factory support has no business flying, ever.
Don't take it even if it's free and try to fly it. There is nowhere to
buy parts, but more importantly, your "experts" here about the Mini-500
are totaly lacking in the matter.

Most Sincerely,

Dennis Fetters
Designer of the Mini-500



Jim Anglin wrote:
I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

It is reasonably safe if you just hover it no more than 3 feet off the
ground. Hover time counts as flight time!! If however you fly it
more than 3 ft high there is about a 10% chance of dying. There has
been 11 deaths from this machine that I know of as of a few years ago.
It has dozens of major problems that are not readily apparent. Many
parts will wear out in less than 100 hours. The engine is under
powered if you weigh more than 150 lb.

The part that is most likely missing is the tail rotor gear box and
they are hard to find.
It is easy to build however there are problems:

1 Engine is underpowered and is a two stroke.
2 If you try to get enough power to hover and fly the carb tuning is
VERY repeat VERY VERY critical or the engine will seize up. This
tuning will change from day to day.
3 The main rotor shaft is KNURLED at a high stress point so it will
not spin in the top bearing. Big stress riser at a critical point.
4 The main drive belt can come off and wrap around the tail rotor
drive shaft causing an excessive drag so high that auto rotation is
impossible. I watched this happen during hover. The main rotor
completely stopped in 15 seconds even at full down collective.
5 The clutch will come apart in less than 50 hours.
6 The rotor pitch bearings are too tight and are brinnelled.
7 Make sure you get a new head for the engine with the new hot water
bypass or a cold seizure is in your future.
8 Replace the common copper wire thermocouple extension wires with
real thermocouple wire or your EGT temperature may be a hundred or
more degrees off. This temperature is CRITICAL if you want the have
the engine keep running.
9 The main gearbox eats itself. Make sure you have a chip detector
installed and believe it when the light comes on.
10 The main rotor blades will not stay in balance. The foam core
moves due to the G loads and or humidity.
11- 101 Even more of the same........

Did I say that it is easy to build and looks neat! It is.
John

On Thu, 04 Jan 2007 00:37:42 GMT, "Jim Anglin"
wrote:

I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

However I may feel about your past record and past posts to this
newsgroup, I must compliment you on your reply. Without factory
support and availability of parts, the only real use for this aircraft
would be a very great looking lawn ornament. If the engine is still in
new condition, it might be worth something but otherwise...stay clear.


Dennis Fetters wrote:
Dear Jim,

I am the most qualified person to answer your question. If you believe
the bad things wrote by people here or not, makes absolutely no
deference. The Mini-500 no longer has factory support. Any kit-built
helicopter that has no factory support has no business flying, ever.
Don't take it even if it's free and try to fly it. There is nowhere to
buy parts, but more importantly, your "experts" here about the Mini-500
are totaly lacking in the matter.

Most Sincerely,

Dennis Fetters
Designer of the Mini-500



Jim Anglin wrote:
I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim

"Jim Anglin" wrote in message
link.net...
I have an opportunity to bring home a Mini 500 kit for no money or at the
least a couple thousand dollars. As far as I can tell it is all there and
has never been touched by the original purchaser. I have poked around in
cyberspace and learned a little about this airplane, some of which is not
good and some of which is really bad. I was wondering if the experts here
would know if this could be built by a competent rotorwing A&P to be a safe
airplane? If it is true that parts of the kit were never delivered, is
there a source of parts or plans to fabircate them? The one place on the
net I could have gotten some real info seems to have been deleted
(mini500.com)

Anybody?

jim


Where do you want the memorials sent?

Out of curiosity, would any of the Mini500 parts be useful for some
other project or are they just paperweights and doorstops?

Tony

I just thought of a GREAT use for it! Build it and then apply to the
Guniess World Records for the worlds smallest helicopter. It doesn't
actually have to fly or even be approved to fly, all you have to do is
apply. Right now, there are no other candidates so it should qualify.


Anthony W wrote:
Out of curiosity, would any of the Mini500 parts be useful for some
other project or are they just paperweights and doorstops?

Tony