I like it. Visions of Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye.

Todd,

Friends don't let Friends..... aw heck, have fun ! Like the rest of us, you refuse to grow up as well.... Congrats !

...Babar.

I'm not telling my wife I own it until I land it in the yard. I'm sure the neighbors will be impressed when I make the approach down the fairway with a 43000 RPM turbine screaming. Got to love freedom

Just promise us you will strap on a parachute or at least drag a string which touches the ground.

I can't help myself - I like it!

Todd, looks like a fun toy. What is the fuel burn and fuel capacity. I'm guessing this thing will burn 20 gallons an hour and have a 20 gallon tank?

I've been looking at that, too. I wish is had a little more speed and fuel. My commute is just a bit long for it. Using Homer?

No room for the wife or the pooch! It does look like alot of fun..., http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1S0Rb7w-O-A

Realistic fuel burn is 11-13 GPH depending on operation and useable I believe is 21 gallons. It will cruise 95 MPH with doors off and 105-110 with doors on. Basically, a 160 mile no-wind machine with helicopter reserves. It will run on diesel if needed or Kerosene, so a rural gas station could be used.

The guy that will be going through mine is working on a 4-stroke 150HP Yamaha engine with a turbo. He flew it last year without the turbo and it would not make enough power once the temps rose much above 80F or so outside. Fuel burn will be about 7 GPH or so and it is very quiet with that engine.

Todd, lets face it, this is obviously for the guy that has everything! I was right about 20 gallon capacity. The turbine has been derated from 160 to 90HP...This machine is supposed to be less to operate than the family pick-up truck? http://www.helicycle.com/Specs/Helicycl ... 0Specs.htm

Dave,

You can buy a nice one for under $50k and maintenance is virtually nothing. Grease some items every 25 hours. Change gearbox oil every 25-50 hours and that is about it. Everything is on condition. The turbines were built to run 3000+ hours. Replace lamiflex bearings in the rotor head every 400 hours or so also. One guy has over 1200 hours on his machine and has done nothing but what you see above.

Todd,

My friend in Sedona had one built just like that except it was the piston version. He is a very experienced pilot owns a bonanza and flys a Conquest. After flying for less than 15 hours and not exceeding 10 ft of elevation he sold it. In fairness, Sedona is not a great place to have one, the density altitude is not very favorable.

Russ,

Are you sure it was a Helicycle and not another model? The reason I ask is that the manufacturer is the only one I know of that actually flew a piston powered version. The first customer Helicycle to fly was a turbine and all models after that were turbines that I know of.

I have owned a Rotorway exec picton along with a Safari and sold them after hovering them. The guys in the Helicycles appear to be flying the a lot and x-country due to the speed (relative to helicopters) and the reliability.

Here is the real beauty of an experimental helicopter: You do not have to have a rotorcraft rating to fly one. Yes, it is true. Experimentals regardless of they way they make lift can be flown by any pilot with a private rating in fixed wing aircraft. Experimentals do not have a category and class rating; therefore, you only need to be a pilot. Now, if you want to carry a passenger you have to have the rating. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true.

So, I already have around 100 hours in helicopters. I will go fly with an instructor in a R22 for a few hours to get back up to speed. I then can fly my helicopter by myself with no sign-offs or restrictions. I can fly it a few hundred hours getting really sharp again on my skills and then if I want to take my commercial checkride I will fly with an instructor in the R22 for a few more hours, get his signoff, and take the checkride. The Helicycle pays for itself.

Thread drift, but I do like this aircraft for a WSHTF scenario. You could rule the world with it.