CHOOSING THE RIGHT HELICOPTER
The first step in the buying process is identifying the best helicopter for your needs. How many people will you typically fly? Are you using the helicopter for business, pleasure or both? What is the most common route of flight or need for the helicopter? These types of questions can help us guide you to the right helicopter, which then you can start looking at the cost of ownership.
ROBINSON R44
The R44 helicopter is the most popular helicopter for private owners. With autopilot and glass cockpit as the newest features, the R44 is a great bargain for first time owners.
- Seats: 1 pilot, 3 passengers
- Payload with full fuel: ~ 818 lbs
- Cruise Speed: ~ 125 mph
- Max Range (no reserve): 300 nm
- Max Gross Weight: 2,200-2,500 lbs (model dependent)
ROBINSON R66
The R66 is Robinson Helicopters’ most economical turbine-powered civil helicopter in the world. It is widely used for turbine transition training (such as Epic’s Turbine Transition Course) and passenger carrying. The R66 is popular with private owners for ease of ownership, low maintenance costs and reliability. The baggage area is very large, accommodating up to 300 lbs of gear.
- Seats: 1 pilot, 4 passengers
- Payload with full fuel: ~ 927 lbs
- Cruise Speed: ~ 130 mph
- Max Range (no reserve): 350 nm
- Max Gross Weight: 2,700 lbs
ROBINSON R22
The R22 is the most popular training helicopter in the world because of its reliability, good manufacturer support and parts availability.
- Seats: 1 pilot, 1 passenger
- Payload with full fuel: ~ 389 lbs
- Cruise Speed: ~ 100 mph
- Max Range (no reserve): 250 nm
- Max Gross Weight: 1,370 lbs