A friend gave me a ride in his new 2019 Robinson R 44 helicopter yesterday,I got to check that off my list. I have seen these before ,but they always looked kinda flimsy/fragile,and not real pretty. Anyway it was great ,it had A/C that would freeze you even in the bubble cockpit,also an automatic collective,so once you got flying all he used was the cyclic, Garmin radios and that new car smell. We dodged a couple of birds and kept a lookout for towers.Certainly a different perspective from an airplane,he uses it in his real estate business. Anyone else have much experience/ ownership in these.? Pretty cool. Edward

I flew in a 44 with a compatriot 2 years ago; we slowed over the clearing in the trees next to his house, descended into the LZ and hover-taxied up to his garage.

I was simultaneously terrified, thrilled and completely in awe of that magic carpet.

A hobby I should be well served to actively avoid.

I really wanted to get a rotorwing rating and thought (not too seriously) about a R44. Two conversations deterred me: 1) An R44 enthusiast told me that insurance ran about $40k/year-or about 10% of the hull value. 2) An aviation attorney friend says he gets a Robinson crash case once a month or so.

I do not think Robinsons are inherently dangerous, but I do think that they can bite the casual pilot. I decided to stick with Cub flying. It is the safest airplane ever built. It can only just barely kill you.

I agree Tom said his insurance was $25k /year! Still pretty cool . I live near KECG a joint use airport shared with the USCG. Those copter pilots hover so solid it looks they are not moving ,looks so easy. Edward

If I’m not mistaken, those USCG birds have autopilots that hold position (hover)

Had a flight school with R-22 ships back in the Iran-Contra days. Trained a bunch of kids from banana republics (my chief pilot was Italian, but spoke Spanish).
The MEL list for autorotations in the Robbie included a rabbit's foot on the keychain, rosary beads around the pilot's neck, and 7-11 fuzzy dice hanging from the wet compass.
My personal ship was used to take me from home to the hospital when I was still in active practice. Single, I often invited an ER, OR, or ICU nurse to lunch. They were quite delighted to discover lunch was to be had at the highest (and otherwise inaccessible) lofty peak of MT. Franklin, 7,000 feet above El Paso.
Great, fun days... I often miss them.
If you have the opportunity, get your rating. It is, indeed, a magic carpet.

TN

Ian sure they have auto hover, but this base does all the rebuilds on all USCG copters,so the guys get to test after rebuild. On the road next to the base they. Have a hover pad and those guys are really steady ,l feel they are tested sans auto pilot. Really cool.!
PS: just south of the base is a old Navy amphibious/ blimp base hanger,and about 30 miles east is FIRST FLIGHT in Kitty Hawk. Stop in sometime,good fuel $ not busy and tower controlled. Pretty town right on the Pasquotank river . Regards, Edward

Forgot KECG .

A highly qualified friend offered me greatly discounted helicopter training for an add on rating ............based on SWMBO reaction I don’t think he is allowed to come over and play anymore.

My wife told me if I go for a helicopter rating I will be giving rides to my 2nd wife

I also wanted a rotor rating, but there was nothing nearby. I finally decided I could fly the Bonanza to Houston (Hooks). About the time I got motivated they lost one of their R22's on a photo mission (one of their instructors flying). At a pancake breakfast/safety meeting I talked to an FAA guy that looked at it. He held his hand about eye level to me and said "it was this tall after it came down".

Lost my enthusiasm (though didn't completely lose interest). R's have low rotor mass, I'm not sure I'd want to take my hand off the collective even if they tell me it's automatic.

My understanding is that they can be safely flown, but you gotta pay attention.

I've had a very short amount of student time in a Jet Ranger, and some Apache Simulator time at Ft Hood. I'm certainly no helichopter guy but I could tell it's not the same!

All said and done, if I had an R44 I'd sure fly it! Or R22 for that matter.

Dan

I did my first lesson in an R22, just to see what it was like. I’m hooked. Not to say anything bad about the R22, in fact I loved the little aircraft, but two different helicopter pilots, one who is a client and owns a helicopter company, the other my nephew who has 3500 hours rotary, both said skip the R22. So little rotor mass that you have 1.8 seconds to get it into autorotation. So I put my lessons on hold.

My patience has paid off and a new flight school here at GTU has an R44... my wife and I have it all worked out. She understands my passions and supports my dreams. I’m waiting for my life insurance paperwork to come back then I can get started.

Even with the autopilot off they still have stab-aug engaged, which makes a hover very easy. I once hovered an S-76 during some avionics testing, and it made me look like I knew what I was doing (which I don't, no heli training)

My wife gave a similar ultimatum one time. I stared off into space for a bit and after a while she said "what???". I said, "I'm considering your offer."

I started working on my helicopter add-ons last summer. I finished my commercial helicopter and am working towards my helicopter CFI. I started out in the R22 and then bought and R44.

The R22 was fun to fly, but I really like the R44. I'm a lot more confident doing autos in the R44, and the hydraulics and extra power are awesome.

As long as you have a competent instructor, don't be afraid of the R22, but if you have the funding/opportunity, fly the R44 instead.