Your Favorite Heli

[otooley]

My favourite would have to be the FROEBE built in some farmers barn back when our own "Cap" was just starting his flying career,long before my time. Fokelore has it that Cap soloed on it. anyone who would have climbed onto that tractor seat and spun that sucker up must of had guts.The story I heard was that Cap went swooping down Portage Avenue at low level to the delight of all the young women working downtown ,then he pulled it up into a spectacular hammerhead when the cyclic snapped off.Cap bailed out and did a triple gainer and ending it with a monumentous belly flop into the Red River where the Forks are today.They don't make guys like that nowadays.

[Night Hawk]

Airwolf aka Bell 222 would not be anyone's favorite, what a pos, the UT was a bit better. I'll join the 212 crowd though the sound alone makes it my #1.

[MEOB]

407 1st 350b2 2nd but then again besides those two Ive only flown 206 lrs and the R22. But the 407 sure is fun bugs and all and way nicer to move a drill with but we wont get into that. Just sucks when you have to put the covers on.

[Bladestrike]

222 is a fine bird, got nearly 2 grand on them. Underpowered, and the SK76 walks all over it (sexy beast, my second favourite), but a stable platform. SK61 is a good old girl, but it shakes and rattles, and I've had an engine quit at a pretty inoppurtune time, a couple of fire lights, BIM lights, and while flying with an earlier poster (Hey Bud!) had a intermediate gearbox put us down in the parking lot of a pub in the dead of winter.

 

My first choice would be the Super Puma; gobs of power, fast, deiced, and can get me down to 75 feet without touching the controls....don't try that in a 61!

[Bladestrike]

...I should add, in the soup.

[Hover-Pig]

CH124A Sea King has no problem getting to 40 feet hands off. Pretty ancient system but it does work.

 

Did love the 212 and the BV107 but gotta say the S61 was the grand dame of them all.

 

As for my wish list, the Lynx and the EC135.

[06HeliMAN]

"Helicopter" and "Huey" used to be synonomous in my area, but recently I haven't seen many of them. Guess operators are starting to retire them. Good things never last forever!

[Gmach]

WTF is your problem Gmach!?! :down:

I worked as an AME before and i probably know about more "bugs" in other helicopters than the pilot himself!!!

You worked as an AME for less time than it takes to read a good book. and never on a 407.

[canukav8tor]

Bell Medium followed closely by Big Boeing.

 

Hard to beat the presence of a Big Bell...that sound is pure music. The 'hook gets marks for 150kt cruise, 25,000# on the hook and being able to plug your frying pan in to the 110ac outlet to cook venison burgers enroute.

 

Cheers,

AV8TOR

[Slinger]

For slinging : MD 520N (wish it had a C30)

 

For travelling : Any Astar

 

And for pure helicopter experience : Bell Medium