Just an update here. I just got back from flying this morning. I now have just about 20 hours, which is what you need legally to solo an R22. If I were learning in some other helicopter, then I'd only need 10 hours to solo as I already have my fixed wing license. Problem is that I haven't flown for the better part of 20 years, so all the stuff I learned back then I've either forgotten or the rules and procedures have changed. I guess that I'll take the last of three written tests needed to solo on Wednesday. Since I fly between four and five hours a week, I really have to catch up on my studies. The physical act of flying the helicopter is the least of my worries at this point. I was able to hover the helicopter, without my inbstructor "rescuing" me every couple of seconds, at just under four hours which, I'm told, is quite good. I now do takeoffs, landings and traffic pattern work all by myself and am starting to get the feel for hover and and power recovery autorotations as well as just starting full down autos.
Soloing and going for the full, carry passengers private helicopter rating are different milestones. I should be ready for my private check ride in late November or early December if I can get some decent weather. At that point, I'll probably just continue right on through for a commercial as 100 of my fixed wing hours count toward that. I have no interest in the next steps, which would be CFI and instrument as I don't have the patience or the time for being a good instructor and any helicopters that I'll ever fly aren't IFR anyway.
Cost is a factor also. $190/hr with an instructor and $165/hr without one. As long as I'm a student, I'm covered under their insurance, but the minute I get my private, I'll have to either get renters insurance at about a grand a year, or get my own copter. Total cost for a private add-on will be in the neighborhood of $10-12K. Cost for a new R22, about $180K, used with low time maybe $130K. Insurance with 200 hours in type would be about $8000/yr; maybe $12000 a year with 100 hours. Total operating costs would be about $100-$125/hr, flying it between 100 and 150 hours a year and including a complete overhaul at 2200 hours, which runs $100K. Main rotor blades need to be replaced at 2200 hours or 12 years, which ever comes first. Cost is $25K.
Needless to say, there many good reasons why only 1% of the population are pilots and only 1% of those fly helicopters. Over the next year, I'll be exploring many options in regard to buying one; if in fact I even do. This is a huge monetary sinkhole to say the least, and not one that I consider casually.
As far as taking passengers, the little R22 can only handle 2, 200 pound people, and that's without full fuel. I most definitely won't be taking any drunk, psychopathic people up for rides either; just too dangerous. One thing I could do is fly the thing across the country. It would take about a week to get to CA and drop off a standard sized suitcase in the woods outside Chico. I figure that if I set the timer for a half an hour that I'd be well beyond EMP range before it went critical. Heck, a puny little fizzle yield of less than a kiloton would clean 90% of the crap out of AS in a matter of microseconds.
