david@infopro.UUCP (David Fiedler) (12/23/84)
Does anybody out there have experience with rotorcraft? I am interested in
helicopters, gyrocopters (also known as autogyros), and even the flying
saucers that someone in California (where else?) is selling. The interest is
primarily in kit craft, unless used helicopters are available for less
than $10K or so. Please reply by mail unless you think the response
would be of general interest. Thanks in advance.
Dave Fiedler
{harpo,astrovax,whuxcc,clyde}!infopro!dave
USMail: InfoPro Systems, 3108 Route 10, Denville, NJ 07834
People Phone: (201) 989-0570ems@amdahl.UUCP (E. Michael Smith) (12/27/84)
> Does anybody out there have experience with rotorcraft? I am interested in > helicopters, gyrocopters (also known as autogyros), and even the flying > saucers that someone in California (where else?) is selling. The what? Is someone really selling flying saucers? What technology would be used for this? I seem to remember a professor at UCDavis that was working on a disk with multiple engines... did his project succeed??!? > The interest is > primarily in kit craft, unless used helicopters are available for less > than $10K or so. A friend of mine has been putting together a Benson Gyrocopter kit for about 8 years now... -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems No one would dare claim these opinions.
cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams) (12/28/84)
Probably the least expensive rotorcraft is the gyrocopter. It should be somewhat less than $10,000, at least for the Ken Brock version. As far as I know, there are only two kit manufacturers for the gyrocopter, Benson and Ken Brock. I don't have the address for either one. Your local EAA chapter should be able to help, or call EAA at Oshkosh. For more money, the Rotoway Exec is available. This is a real helicopter, and the purchase price of the kit (including engine, by the way) also includes a private license for the helecopter. However, you are talking around $25,000 and several years building time. The bottom line is that there are really no cheap rotorcraft. The cost of operation is outrageous compared to the same class airplane. For an example, a Cessna 152 rents for $35 an hour (or there abouts). A Hughes 300C training helecopter rents for $150 per hour (or there abouts). For the $150 per hour, you get three seats and a 200 horse-power Lycoming as opposed to two seats and a 110 horse Lycoming in the 152. Good luck on finding the machine of your dreams. jeff williams AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!cfiaime
zeek@pyramid.UUCP (Jim Zeek) (12/30/84)
A Rotorway Exec costs at least 35 thousand not 25. Also you do not get a private license with purchase of helicoptor. You qualify for an experimental license after a small inspection by a fAA inpsector which allows you to fly and maintain you rotorcraft. Execs are not certifiable aircraft. JIM ZEEK @ PYRAMID TECHNOLOGY