Private Helicopters Are Cheaper to Own

[@seeharvester]

I knew a guy, 30 something years old, made a bunch of money in Silicon Valley back in the late 1990s. He learned to fly a helicopter, bought one, then bought some land on the side of the mountain just outside & east of Lake Tahoe. I was the masonry contractor on the house he built up on the side of the mountain. Built a heliport, and a special garage under the house to park his copter. Semi remote location, making it easier to fly in as opposed to driving in. Smart guy, rich, 30ish years old, good lookin' kid, prime of his life. Guess what? 2 years later he was dead. Helicopter crash coming over the mountain. Be very careful my friend. Edit: I had so many replies and likes on this comment that I went back and researched the guy because, I'm ashamed to say, after all these years, I couldn't remember his name. Turns out I got a couple of things wrong. It must have been more than 2 years after he built his house, and he didn't crash on the mountain. He actually crashed in the Carson Valley. I also checked out his house on Google earth, and it looks like he had added a separate garage to park his "new", bigger chopper. The first one he had apparently was a Robinson R22, which he parked under the house, but later crashed and survived. Then he bought a R44, and I guess needed a bigger place to park it. Then he crashed the R44 in the valley in 2006, which is the one that killed him. If you'd care to see the house, it's 1000 Kingsbury Grade Road, Gardnerville, NV. If you look at it on google earth, you'll notice how the driveway next to the house has a large circular area which is where the original landing zone was. Now, as you can see, it's the white spot down the at the end of the driveway where the 'new' garage is. His name was Patrick Samal and he was 41 when he died. RIP Pat.

[@thejohnjosh]

Rotary wing life = live fast die young

[@WHSmith-zk2ox]

At least he had a good time.... And that is all that counts in life my friend... Because after that, there really is nothing else.... So enjoy....

[@SoloPilot6]

@@thejohnjosh I started flying rotors 50 years ago. I'm no longer young.

[@JoseNavarroCo]

I see helicopters as essentially old-tech and very dangerous. No glide? no fly.

[@thejohnjosh]

@@SoloPilot6 you're young at heart my friend 🥹

[@jordanmcmurray5785]

My hesitation with helicopters has always been when I look at glide ratios for emergency engine outs. Most planes you get a 10:1 ratio while in a helicopter you're lucky to get 3:1 and that terrifies me.

[@mattpilot]

I am dual rated - rather have a engine failure in a Heli as the land required for a safe landing is minimal compared to a fixed wing.

[@SoloPilot6]

One of the first things that I was taught is that the reason for that window in the nose of the copter is so that if you get an engine out, you look between your feet. If you like what you see, you simply autorotate and land safely. If you DON'T like what you see . . .close your eyes . . .

[@Cle_M3]

@@mattpilot Hahahhaa wildest shit I’ve heard in a long time.

[@THESLICKNESSEDM]

Just wear a chute or jet pack 😏

[@Robert_Browne]

That's why I always throw a few layers of bubble wrap in my back pockets.

[@Maverickib]

1. I highly recommend getting your helicopter add-on. They're difficult to learn, but highly rewarding, and nothing really beats the nature of how when you're flying a helicopter, you're "connected" to the machine. It basically becomes an extension of your body, especially when hovering. 2. Experimental helos are a mixed bag. The unfortunate truth is helos are significantly more complicated than airplanes. Way more moving parts, tighter tolerances, more things meshing and interacting. Building one yourself is daunting, but even more daunting is buying one that was built by someone else. The zip tie connecting the lever to the flaps in your airplane breaks and you're not gonna be having fun, but you can land. A single loose bolt or lazy fix in a helicopter leads to rapid midair disassembly. The new RotorX birds have shaft driven tail rotors, but most on the market are the older Rotorways with belt driven tails that failed frequently enough to turn most pilots away from them. Safaris are decent I hear, but a small operation struggling to source parts. Hummingbirds are good but very heavy, they're not as light as they claim so everyone who dreams of carrying 4 in an experimental helo in one is gonna have to be okay with only having a couple gallons of fuel. It sucks, but the experimental helo market just doesn't have much quality competition like the experimental airplane one does.

[@JBeamGT3]

well said! There are a lot of variables to consider with rotor crafts especially experimentals as compared to GA planes.

[@kobrapromotions]

I was looking at a ch7 kompress & charlie 2, tandem seater. Whats your thoughts?

[@Maverickib]

@@kobrapromotions Usually the small 2 seaters are really only 2 seaters in name. Run the useful load numbers and you'll find with 2 PAX, you can't do anything useful. It really just depends on what you wanna use it for. Most people with small birds like the Mosquito never leave ground effect. If you want a small 2 seater you can take a passenger in to hover around your yard, then okay sure go for it. If you want something you can actually travel places in, the list gets extremely small. As far as 2 seaters go, the shaft drive Rotorway/RotorX is probably the most bang for your buck option. If you want something more reliable, the Safari would be my next suggestion. But really, many hopeful builders need to run the numbers. If you're flying less than 100 hours a year, you're best off renting or leasing a certified bird. You really gotta fly the tits off of the experimentals to make your money back. I've flown 65 hours so far this year renting an R22 for about 300 bucks an hour, wet. No maintenance costs, no annuals to worry about, just rental cost and non-owner insurance which is 700 bucks a year. I'd have to fly like this for 5 years to cover the amount I'd spend on just the base purchase price of a full rotorway kit. Add fuel, maintenance, insurance, etc to that and it gets longer. Rules of thumb for helicopters: 0-100 hours a year, rent. 100-150 hours a year, lease. 150+ hours a year, look into buying/building something.

[@paulmurray8734]

Very well said anyone thinking of buying an experimental helicopters should read what you said dude very good !very true I fly an r44 you wouldn't get me in and experimental helicopter home-built at all!!

[@georgegisser1780]

​@@paulmurray8734.

[@monkeybarmonkeyman]

The biggest issue I'd have with these helicopters you cover would be maintenance. People often let things 'slide' - like preflight for example. Costs to maintain an experimental bird could prove very prohibitive... so folks wouldn't, accidents & deaths would increase... due to mechanical failure & pilot error... which in the end, would/could kill the whole category if the feds get involved.

[@puravida5683]

I am a former military helicopter pilot. It's one of life's greatest pleasures! To add to the excitement, saving lives and avoiding ground fire.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

Don't forget, there's also gyrocopters, even more attainable. They're also more forgiving. A great entry point into the rotary wing world

[@viroxd]

Wow I just looked up what that is.. I'm having a hard time understanding how that top rotor is unpowered, but it can generate lift?

[@stephenhart8981]

​@@viroxd its called auto rotation, basically forward movement of the gyro-copter moves air under the rotor and builds momentum of the rotor; build it enough and you have enough surface to increase angle of attack and take off. some higher end gyros have a clutch tied to the motor to spin it up though.

[@SLOBeachboy]

Thats true but you are basically comparing apples and oranges. A gyrocopter flies pretty much like a fixed wing aircraft and it takes about the same level of training. A helicopter on the other hand is MUCH harder to learn to fly than a fixed wing aircraft or gyrocopter and therefore it also cost much more for the training. They also serve completely different needs. If you just enjoy flying and do not need to land and take off anywhere or to be able to hover over areas then of course a fixed wing aircraft or gyrocopter is the best way to go. Also fixed wing aircraft generally have a much longer range than helicopters. Anyway, my point is you should not be comparing gryocopters to helicopters because they are not in the same class or aircraft and the gyrocopter functions in much the same way as a fixed wing aircraft and it fills none of the needs that one normally gets from a helicopter..

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

@@SLOBeachboy lousy b8

[@MacroAggressor]

@@viroxd It helps to think of the rotor more like the wings of an airplane. In a heli the rotor is driven to create lift, whereas in a gyro the forward movement of the aircraft (driven by the propeller) creates lift in the rotating "wings".

[@zpepe]

I've always been a huge fan of the RotorX (rebranded now). I think it's gorgeous, reminds me of my dad (he was a heli pilot) Gazelle. I think I've been a fan for the better part of 15 years. That's the one I would love to buy/build. Definitely need the doors on it. This chopper can legitimately be used for transport.

[@JumboShr1mp]

Mike look into an experimental helicopter, called the hummingbird. It’s the only experimental helicopter that seats four.

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

that will certainly kill the whole family! Much better than less lethal cars!

[@joshua.merrill]

Over $200k, but that’s NOTHING for a 4-seater! That’s pretty cool.

[@boknow5506]

​@@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307 You should be able to make it safer than cars and more room in the air and take say a same amount of electric cars to say helicopter I would rather have a helicopter and bell ones was safe and news and Shariff they got new ones

[@MrGrombie]

I remember watching a video about a kid in Africa who made his own from car parts. Imagine how much he spent compared to what these are going for. That said, I’d hope the money you put into these would go into safety.

[@buckmurdock2500]

cheaper to own than what? There is nothing cheap about helicopters.

[@aayush_789]

Airplanes dumbass

[@arwo1143]

Fixed wing aircraft Literally said 7 seconds into the video

[@kani6855]

@@arwo1143 literally 😭😭

[@NomadByNecessity]

​@@arwo1143 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@Joe-oi6eh]

🤣🤣🤣 facts , especially when you got kids like me!

[@JimYeats]

There isn’t much that worries or concerns me, but the risk reward equation doesn’t work out (at least for me) with regards to flying a home built experimental helicopter as a private pilot. Seems more like a; not “if you crash”, but “when you crash” type of scenario.

[@Jasshands1]

id fly exp airplanes all day long, exp helicopters idk

[@MrChipBryant]

Thank you for a good video. No long intro, no obnoxious music, good information also

[@fraziernutzov3627]

Building turbine time in this little helo sounds better than it really is. I’m a 19,000 hr pilot, currently flying corporate jets but I’ve done military, Pt-135 & Pt-121 as well. When you apply for a job it’s not just hours, the company wants to know your hours by TYPE. Think about it. Imagine you are screening ten resumes for an airline’s recruiters to interview. Five of them show turbine time in King Airs, SAABs etc, flying IFR and multi-pilot crew. Four show time in TBMs, Caravans etc, still IFR and maybe multi-crew too. And one resume shows turbine time playing around VFR in this single-seat Mosquito. Which resume would you immediately discard? Unless your goal is to be a Mosquito demo pilot, I’d abandon this plan.

[@-detectivealec8937]

100% agreed.

[@Beecher_Dikov]

I disagree, sort of. While your scenario is correct, no one steps from a trainer to a corporate job flying passengers. Building hours in a helicopter is building hours in a helicopter. Add in the turbine and it's just experience above a mo gas engine no matter how simple. No fixed wing pilot...well, few fixed wing pilots train in a turboprop of any kind. If I was a rotor pilot with enough experience to fly the craft, 50 grand has got to be one of the most economical ways to build hrs and the turbine add on is a bonus.

[@EJWash57]

Reminds me of having to educate the pilot recruiters in our H.R. department on not only having flight time, but time in specific types. One H.R. member ranked a C-130 pilot below an applicant's C-172 time because they thought the C-172 was bigger than a C-130... 🤦🏽‍♂

[@fraziernutzov3627]

@@Beecher_Dikov Based on your handle “Prison4Biden” I believe you & I would agree on more than we disagree on. I agree nobody steps from a 152 to an airliner or corporate gig. If I had a young friend I’d probably recommend instructing until 1000 hrs or so then going to Alaska, there’s great opportunity for experience & 1400 hrs a year if you are willing to work hard, and it’s a ton of fun. Not so easy on a married person but it can and has been accomplished. And yes, $50K is a sweet deal these days to build a bunch of flight time (remember though, it’s not just purchase, there’s are pesky little things called “maintenance”, “upkeep”, “storage” etc that need to be factored into the equation. The big problem I have is the concept of “building hours” and “turbine time” when the experience accrued will have almost nothing to do with the position a pilot is seeking. I hunted long & hard but couldn’t find an excellent video Rod Machado did years ago. It was about this cool idea of a captive lighter-than-air vessel made of weather balloons & an aluminum lawn chair, way cheaper than $50K. Rod is a smart cookie, knows the regs solid, and he proved in this video how a pilot could build this contraption and sit in it and “build hours” to his heart’s content, without learning a damn thing. Honestly, I have salivated over little helicopters like that Mosquito, I think it would be a hoot! I also looked at the ParaJet when I was living in Alaska, fantasized about flying that thing out to some little lake nobody had fished in a century or landing it on top of a pinnacle in the Alaska Range for a picnic lunch. But those fantasies were purely centered on recreation. Thinking that hundreds of hours tooling around solo VFR in a single-seat VFR helicopter with no responsibilities is a great entry into an aviation career (even if it has a turbine engine), well I’m sorry but having been on the interviewing side of the equation I can tell you it just doesn’t have very good “percentages” as they say at the roulette table. Far better to slug it out as an instructor, then proving yourself hauling people & mail around Alaska, or even towing banners, checking powerlines, whatever… showing that you can MAKE MONEY with an aircraft, and do it in crummy weather, especially when dealing with a crew - THAT is the ticket. It’s a tough entry, and I really feel for folks getting into the market these days. I remember scraping snow, de-icing and warming piston engines in -40º weather with 30 knot winds, no hangar, no mechanic, did that for multiple seasons but at least the pay was good. Best advice I can give a young person is keep expenses to a minimum. If you really want to end up at Southwest making $300K a year to work one week a month, sacrifice NOW. NO fancy car, NO fancy apartment on the beach, maybe NO wife & kids for a few years… and likely, no toy turbine helicopter.

[@slowanddeliberate6893]

Don't you need Turbine Time to upgrade your license?

[@hlf_coder6272]

I fly paramotors. Training was $3500 and equipment 15k. So for 20k you're in the air. But admittedly, there are drawbacks. Like really only being able to fly in the first couple hours of the day and last couple hours of the day due to thermals. But it's fun as hell. You haven't experienced life until you're floating in the sky at 6 am by yourself drinking a coffee.

[@AFlyingGlenn]

Plus its one of the only categories of aviation where you can kick the tops of trees :D

[@definingslawek4731]

I'm an fpv drone pilot, some in our community are paramotor pilots too and I've always been intrigued. Once I start making more money I'll consider it heavily.

[@gilkennedy7638]

You might want consider the Safari 400, more powerful than the Rotorway, 650 pound of payload, with a Lyc 360 , maybe you don't like the look of the open frame, but its very practical to see everything on preflight and maintenance ( I own one )

[@KennethKustren-lr6tg]

GODS SPEED .. SIR !! MAY YOUR TRAVELS ALWAYS BE BLESSED WITH A HEALTHY TAILWIND !!

[@randomcontrol]

Are you allowed to land this on a parking lot of a supermarket? I wonder what’s the practical use in everyday life. Where are you allowed to land a helicopter.

[@WOTArtyNoobs]

Mike - I'd love it if you could review the gyroplanes on sale. There are a large number of 2 seaters but some are now 3 seats or 4, so they might be a realistic alternative to fixed wing.

[@ronaldkehinde252]

The only concern that I have is the safety of these machines. They come down like a ton of bricks in a jiffy.

[@me-so2ze]

As opposed to a commercial airplane that comes down like a feather?

[@Vroomerz]

@@me-so2ze The Glide ratio on a 172 is 9:1. On the PC12 it is 16:1. On a commercial passenger jet flying across an ocean, it will glide to an airport and land on land. Gliding on a helicopter? Your glide ratio is waaaay less.

[@deanfowlkes]

@@Vroomerz - Helicopters do have a glide ratio of sorts. They can autorotate. However, helicopters require a lot more maintenance. Flying a home-built helicopter is sketchy at best. You can not autorotate if you do not have a rotor.

[@me-so2ze]

@@Vroomerz lol are you saying that when they crash head first the pilot had the option the glide over to the airport and land but didn't?

[@DaedricFaZe]

@@Vroomerz Its actually 4:1 in a R22, however the blades are so light you only have seconds to react to an engine failure before they lose their momentum. Any pitch in the blades via the collective will cause drag and the point of no return in Rotor RPM is 80% + 1% per 1k feet. How look how small these rotor blades are, i doubt they carry any momentum.

[@SigmaRage1]

Price vs cost of ownership is 2 totally different beasts. What’s the maintenance cost per year?

[@stealhty1]

HX-50 Chopper for $550K that's a hypothetical numbers,,remember when Eclipse jet first came on the market advertise as under $1M dollar jet ? and end up costing nearly twice as much

[@scanadaze]

The Mosquito helicopter. I have been watching for years. Turbin. All the way. Yet. If you're not in a hurry. Helicopter. You can go and land way more places in a helicopter. My opinion is for anyone begging to fly. Gliders first. Learn arrow dynamics first. Amazing how they are becoming cheaper than a full-size truck and a house. I am so happy that I am not rich. I would own one of each on all platforms. Helicopters have always been my passion.

[@apoc2500]

I wish I knew more people like you during my childhood. I'd probably have a more interesting life.

[@Jasshands1]

never too late

[@TerryKay.]

@@Jasshands1 ..wise words

[@OffGridInvestor]

This IS VERY COMMON on outback Australia. Only realistic way to round up cattle during muster season

[@Bizones16]

Glad to see that you want to move on to Rotor Wing ! I transitioned to Rotor Wind using the old tried and true Bell Model 47 but, this was 40 years ago, before these new entries.

[@mindlessconsumer]

One insurance quote from an experienced helicopter pilot said he was paying $1,600 per month, just for insurance on a Mosquito. Airplane insurance is much cheaper.

[@Thinks-First]

I'm dual rated. First ten hours in helo training is pretty tough. After that it's a pleasure.

[@lennymecca968]

Nothing better than people who don’t fly helicopters, talking about flying helicopters 😂😂😂

[@piplup10203854]

I am with you that I’d also like to transition to Rotocraft flying. I love the idea of single small Helicopters like this. I want one so badly 😂

[@Sue_Me_Too]

I have always wanted to learn to fly helicopters. The insane complexity involved in creating and then operating one is simply _majestic._ No other vehicle - aside from maybe a rocket - should be treated with more Fear and Reverence than the Helicopter.

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

helicopters are gay

[@Sue_Me_Too]

@@neo-filthyfrank1347 no, _gyrocopters_ are *gay.*

[@neo-filthyfrank1347]

@@Sue_Me_Too They both seem pretty gay to me

[@HiroProtagonistak]

Wow, I have a T Craft at about 110hp I swapped a cub motor. It's a bush plane I built for flying in Alaska. I bought the plane for 16k and put another 10 into it with bigger fuel tanks and floats. These newer planes are great but expensive. The helicopter idea is cool but there's just to may moving part and if you clip a tree or a landing strut comes off I think that would be the end in a helicopter.

[@nannesoar]

one of my life goals is to own a helicopter and this video opened my mind

[@davidstevens6117]

Great video! I would LOVE to own and fly a small helicopter.

[@CardanoETF]

"have a crazy fascination with Helicopters..." Brother you aint alone!

[@trixonic6934]

Thanks for the advice. I just put a down payment on a new helicopter for my son. He’s gonna love it!

[@HolisticPatriots]

Love rotors over fixed wings. Helicopters are a lot more fun.

[@pasofino9583]

“Most of the time it will be just you” I felt that

[@williammead516]

Did not look for this content but damn I am glad the algorithm put it out here never thought helicopters would be this affordable.

[@leefoster4133]

Am not into helicopters. Since the Army have nearly killed me three times; I just have a thing against them. If you are up for it then more power to you mate.

[@Pork-Chopper]

While you raise some good points, learning to fly a helicopter is not as easy as most people think. I'm a student pilot right now. Started learning on an R22, then moved up to the Bell47's n doing well. However, it took me over 15 hours of training n instruction to learn to hover! Some pick it up sooner, but most will pick it up sooner or later. It's like learning to ride a unicycle. It takes awhile before you can ride AND juggle at the same time. While small experimental helo's are attainable, you cannot get away from having to pay for helicopter flying lessons to "actually" learn how to fly a helicopter. It takes a certain amount of practice before you build proficiency n get a " feel" for the helicopter. With that being said, even though there are helo's out there that can be affordable, plan on adding another $20 grand or more on helicopter flying lessons depending on how fast you learn. It takes awhile to learn to play piano, much less play like a virtuoso overnight. You must have a strong desire, and having a mechanical aptitude helps alot, because you are required to know all the mechanical aspects of the helo.... 22 n Sky Blue over...

[@rcclassiccrawlers4368]

I stumbled upon your channel and checked out your video. Very interesting info on experimental helicopters. I’ve never flown anything but R/C airplanes, a few helicopters and drones but I always thought how cool it would be to fly a real helicopter one day. Not sure that will ever happen but after seeing this video it could be a little more realistic. Thanks for sharing!

[@murdock6450]

ill stick to driving and rc drones most likely lol

[@D33Lux]

I was given a helicopter ride gift as a b-day gift about 12 years ago, it was the most amazing thing I ever experienced and I'm terrified of heights. That experience has motivated me to start my own business because I will eventually get my own helicopter. I suggest people learn a trade they love and start their own business, the level of success can be alot more gratifying and income levels can be tremendous. I think you can be a great success in life, go for it!

[@VenturiLife]

Don't forget helicopter maintenance costs, they are pretty specialized skills. More engineers in the fixed-wing category than rotary. Have to price that in.

[@fireboltaz]

i have no training at all, but that $1 million dolllar heli is what I'm gonna go buy

[@LawrenceBroussard]

A great way to build time. I follow Blue Max Six and never put together you could build turbine time at a lower cost by doing it as you suggested. Safety would be a main concern.

[@MS-ro9dm]

Unless I am being plucked: A) out of the middle of the sea B) out of a burning building C) enemy territory , I am not getting in a helicopter. Now a gyroplane , that looks very interesting.

[@CoffeeAndBusiness]

Man I make $100,000 a year and I have 4 rental properties that bring in about $10,000 a year. I’m working on getting more rental properties. I HOPE SO MUCH that one day I can purchase a fixed wing or a heli. We also want an RV so we can travel the U.S. I’m 31 years old. Really hope I can get there before I’m too old to enjoy it all 😕

[@Code2142Loco]

YT just suggested this video. Very interesting content. Never even thought about owning a helicopter, lol. Keep up the good work, M8!

[@SimplicityForGood]

what would be the best affordable family helicopter then? four people and a dog? and some packing like, foldable electric bikes and small backpacks? .. that would be what we are looking for"! great video 😘

[@RV4aviator]

Love your posts mate...! Really I do.. ! I built and continue to fly a Vans RV4. Rotary winged flight Training in my day was out of reach.....( 1987 )... ( 35K in 1987 $ ) ...personally that is. So thanks for posting 2023 data on Chopper availability... ! Cheers...!

[@jquestdc]

Me: Can't buy a house in this market Also Me: A two-seater helicopter seems like a solid investment

[@jonathanbillingslea1262]

This was awesome. Ill never get one but i now have to see some of these small birds in action

[@BsGaming732]

It's funny how he throws around 50,100,150 thousand like its 10 grand lol. I love this helicopter video though bc as a middle class father in my late 20's and have a decent savings would like to get something big and nice one day. Getting a helicopter for 50-80k sounds so realistic I WOULD LOVE to fly around my area instead of just getting a hellcat or something cliche. Hopefully one day I get to see the Earth from up there in the pilot seat! Keep up the good content

[@phil562]

Here is your flying car, promised by the Jetsons long ago. The future is here, a golden age for sure.

[@mr.x1510]

Mike I can hear the excitement in your voice they are sweet looking aircraft . Looks like a lot of fun.👍

[@waynegilchrist1596]

Mike, I happened to glance thru this video on my phone and having recently lost a friend to an experimental helicopter accident, I thought we'd lost you too. Picture, if you will, I'm scrolling thru the phone, a small screen compared to a computer, and it's bright and sunny outside. The small screen, the bright sunlight, and a slightly blurred glance at your logo sort of his the "G" (written in red) and it appeared to say "MOJO RIP"! Thought we'd lost you for a second! It all cleared up as soon as I came inside where I could see it better. Glad you're ok, live your videos and these little copters are a ton of fun!

[@GooglePhD]

Rotary lead the way 👍🏻. Add tanks to extend the range. Power to weight ratio will work just fine

[@44pilot]

I have over 2000 hours in helicopters- all certified and I absolutely will not fly in one of those experimental machines.also, good luck finding an instructor that will train you in one lol

[@hassankareem6188]

Why? What is so dangerous about that?

[@SoloPilot6]

Much of my time is in Rotorway helos, and my neighbor lets me borrow her Mosquito now and then. I'm currently considering buying one, because the Hughes 500 that I was looking at was too far outside of my budget for the seller to meet my offer. You will NEVER get me into a Robinson.

[@SoloPilot6]

@@hassankareem6188 A lot of pilots would rather fly a machine built by a bored and daydreaming factory worker than a machine built by someone who knows that they will be flying it.

[@originsdecoded3508]

As we are moving towards an age of aviation drone development. I think you should hold out for electric personal air drone vehicles. The pros is that they have redundant motors and less moving pieces. more safety. The down side is that they will have less travel distance.

[@murdoch9106]

Well, the big cost of any aircaft espeically GA is not so much the fuel even if its a lot, its if you gonna turn lots of hours in one, you will eventually end up needing to go through the thing and thats where it bites you... Even a small simple rotax powered thing will cost a small fortune to overhaul when the time comes, some things need at 300 hours, others at 2300 hours, but it will come... and that goes for a mosquito as well, overhauling that small turbine will likely still cost a hell of a lot of money and I doubt the TBO time on it is that great but I dont know... ^^

[@bearsden3505]

Outstanding video Mike. I've always had a love of rotorwing flying. Especially the Mosquito and Rotorway

[@hershall_3162]

I’m 31 with 3 kids and still dream of owning a helicopter one day. Taking the long route with investing. Hopefully I’m not too old to learn by the time the money comes 😆 gotta get one of those cabri’s

[@hershall_3162]

@K.M.V S gotta live life lol

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

Sell your three kids you will have the money

[@hershall_3162]

@@wildlifewarrior2670 if only it was that easy 😆😆

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

@@hershall_3162 yeah nobody wants three brats

[@MrMonero]

I dont know how I got here or why youtube thought to show me your channel. Me being me, I clicked this totally unrelated vid anyway and watched. Glad I did lol ...I have never heard of you before nor did I know that channels like this even existed but its cool AF brother. I am subscribing and gonna buy me a Helicopter I think. Thanks very much 😄

[@metrocaptain]

Interesting angle at getting some turbine PIC time. Good deal for those trying to go to the airlines, have good flying skills, but lack the actual PIC turbine time to get an interview. So you could go from a sub 1000 hour CFI to 1500 TT with 500 turbine pretty quickly. Heck, maybe worth sharing with a buddy who wants to build TT too. Lots of possibilities. I just might have to get my commercial rotary wing ticket sometime in the near future.

[@ogk9com]

Awesome stuff. I have always wanted to own my own. Never even been in one. I would love to deliver my Malinois to my customers in one of these. Btw, all my pups are named after military helicopters. 😆

[@D33Lux]

Look around where you live, some company's offer tours in helicopters. Its an incredible experience and worth doing.

[@hitmax-l5m]

How to find property where I can assemble heli and fly from? Any specific requirements? Hoa approvals? Garage height? Your recommendations would be highly appreciated!

[@dornelli1]

these small machines are the most gorgeous things manking ever built

[@ReneChewbaka]

Change the landscape? That's what they said about the ICON A5, if I recall. And I'm an optimist.. fixed wing are more forgiving when self building. A helicopter inherently wants to tear itself apart.. not a good idea to self build one, in my opinion

[@brianward7550]

The part about the xc50 makes me think of office co-workers having a Ward cleaver type of carpool. The one guy lands and somebody's driveway he hopped in with his coffee cup and his briefcase

[@nattsurfaren]

How do we jump to make the helicopter go in circular motions and not just up and down?

[@johncohan.mosh.5403]

Great info mike,I have Always had ab interest in helo,s since moms boyfriend let me take partial control at age 11 of his crop spraying chopper over in the U.K. Being a master auto tech ,thinking wanna build mine.

[@D33Lux]

If you can build one, you can start business and fund for other helicopters that you want to own. Go for it!

[@MoparAdventure]

As a former roatary wing mechanic I would emplore you to stay away from anything "experimental" and "cheap" helicopters need 10x the maintenance of any car.

[@jmh1189]

Can get a long - EZ used for around 30k. Can get around 30 miles to the galon if ur flying efficiently.

[@niladrimukherjee2098]

Hi Buddy a few months ago I tequested you to do a vlog on Gyrocopters . Looking gorward to it.

[@keviny6677]

if you don't have an A&P license, when the maintenance fee kicks in, you wont say it's affordable. not to say you need to replace the blade after a while.

[@SoloPilot6]

If you build it yourself, you get the Repairman's Certificate, so you do your own maintenance.

[@ChaosAttractor13]

I like the idea of building a helicopter from a kit and flying it all over town all Willy nilly. Helicopters are easy to fly.

[@EchoSigma6]

Gyrocopters too please. Looking forward to your future releases.

[@jfsf8963]

That HX50 is beautiful holy shit

[@keithbarr3009]

Mike, love your channel and your enthusiasm. I hear Cicare is coming to the US. Another great and mature turbocharged Rotax Helo. Stay tuned.

[@smartwatchonpluto]

Awesome video, I have a seizure disorder but always wanted to fly

[@SuperChicken666]

I don't have a seizure disorder, but I'm certain I would die quicker than you can say oops.

[@RameenFallschirmjager]

Your face scared away my cat! No hard feelings bro!

[@1a2b3c4.]

The day the cost of all those toys goes down will be the day everyone will buy one. That day will never come.

[@krrrruptidsoless]

This experimental helicopter is called "it just f ing dives into the ground for no reason and you can't stop it. But it only does it at 1500 ft and above helicopter"

[@locker1325]

Super interesting. Had no idea. Those prices if correct are nuts

[@celticbedou]

Learning to hover is good fun. Just go on a learning flight and ask to hover :-) once you get it then its easy but it is a real challenge to 'get it'. Enjoy the journey.

[@TobinOsusky]

you are talking my language! I need a personal flying vehicle for the rest of my life, no more cars

[@hlynnkeith9334]

Mike, How about autogiros? Gyrocopters?

[@shady80s22]

Whenever I see these things, I can't help but to think of Kobe 😢

[@Turjak_art]

Can you land safely when the turbo fails?

[@SoloPilot6]

Depends on where you are at the time.

[@bobbyb.1743]

Better practice some power-off autorotations, a lot of ‘em, and take em to the ground, if you can keep from bending the skids😂

[@johnlombardo7816]

Crazy question, if I was to buy one of these, how much training is required to be allowed to fly it? And if wanted to take it to work, my job is about 30 minutes away, would be a nice way to avoid traffic, anyway, is that legal, or do you need to fly using certain requirements by the FAA or whatever the alphabet meant for flying required.?? any info is appreciated.

[@ls3818t-xf1bh]

I know the answer to this but what if you have a DWI?

[@1911Earthling]

That is very comparable to speed boats and high end motorcycles. With in a lot of peoples grasp. One or two hours in a mixmaster that small is plenty tiring.

[@hawkinatorgamer9725]

I always loved helicopters, until my first tour to Iraq. Two US Navy Seahawks came in to land at our COP, the first touched down fine, the second got to close to a powerpole, a transformer blew, pilot thought he was taking fire and slammed it down. It flipped on its side ejected an Iraqi SF soldier who was chopped clean in half at his waist by the rotors. I was inside the COP, it was nighttime, it sounded really odd, a slight boom, then a whhhh, whhh, whhh, whh, wh, I guess the rotors I was hearing. My Platoon Sgt threw open the front door to the COP and was screaming "Bird blew up on the LZ, Bird blew up on the LZ" I ran and grabbed my IOTV, Kevlar and M4, put my shit on locked and loaded mounted my PVS7Bs and ran for the front door with everyone else. It was crazy dusty outside as I went out the front door dropping my NODS to see this dusty haze in a bright green. I heard alot of men screaming in pain, which, is chilling. The Seahawk was on its side, right up to the first Seahawk that landed fine. It looked, very, odd. My brain could not immediatly process what I was seeing, as seeing a chopper on its side, when its dusty, and through NODS for the first time is different. Fuel was pouring out of it I ran around to take up a position with my Fireteam to pull security. I took a knee beside a pair of human legs in ACUs. It was a very strange night. Anytime Choppers would land on our COP after that, we would all seek cover. A piece of the rotor flew about 100 Meters and smashed one of our HMMWVs Warlock antenna open, it was just a bundle of wires flayed out from this antenna. I use to have dreams about this night a good bit, but havent in years.

[@mhughes1160]

Buying a helicopter 🚁 is the easy part Paying for the maintenance is a whole other story 💰💰💰💰💰

[@smeghead666]

attainable but is it maintainable? I just wanted to say that.

[@slowpoke96Z28]

How much passenger and cargo weight can they handle though?

[@MemeKing44]

very cool idea, whats the hours needed? only scary thing with a copter that size.. is the slightest wind gust, could knock you right outta the sky, and your done, gotta be very careful where you fly that thing.

[@pholelanimlotshwa]

Hi do you think more investment in these companies would speed up their coming out with new helicopters?

[@DJMeku]

120k for a 2 seater is motivating

[@sxshn8]

Thanks for the video. Is it regional rules that govern where you can take off and land helicopters. Could I take off from my house and land at Applebee's? Or can I take a trip cross country in a helicopter?

[@buckmurdock2500]

My friend landed a JetRanger in my front yard once. Talk about getting the neighbors out to see what's going on. But yes, local ordinances kinda determine where you can land.

[@Maverickib]

Not regional rules really, though some cities/towns might ban it. For most of the US, it just comes down to the property owner. In San Diego, the owner of Julian Pie Company in Santa Ysabel has given blanket permission for helos to land in the parking lot. I've landed off-airport all over the Socal region. There's no FARs or anything like that which prohibit helicopters from landing wherever they want. As long as the owner of the land is cool with it, you're good to go.

[@seeharvester]

Let's go to Applebee's!

[@gabbermaikel]

sadly in my country the cost for getting a helicopter licence are around 100k. Atleast last time i checked that was the price for the private helicopter licence. The commercial 1 is another 200k i think.