Mentone 2012 Heli pictures please.

[baronpilot]

The same to you John. Just so everyone knows the MH-1 is the real deal. I almost had to laugh when he started it since the engine running sounds like the starter motor on my Helicycle. At full power you hear the tail rotor blades instead of the engine. It is extremely smooth as well.

Had it been somewhere else instead of Mentone I would have flown it around instead of just a few quick pullups into a hover. It felt different than my Helicycle (pedals operate like a Bobcat instead of pushing them like a Helicycle) and the collective is positioned differently. Also, no governor, and since that is all I have been flying I let the rotor RPM droop when pulling too much collective. The fact that I was only about 20 ft from dozens of cars and Stan, John, and a Mosquito owner that all hid behind a trailer when I pulled it off the ground made me a little nervous.

Never the less, John flew the machine and then told me to hop in and try it out - not knowing me from Adam. I thought that was pretty darn nice of him. I think I drank all of his bottled water as well.

The MH-1 is well built with a good powerplant. Anyone thinking about a single place Heli that wants good visibility and quiet operation should think about one of these. I wouldn't be surprised if John doesn't have something else in the works

[DennisFetters]

Although I posted this on another thread, it is just as relevant here, with a few modifications to make it fit this thread;


I’m happy to hear that people like how the way the Mini-500 flies.

Yes, everyone says that the Rotax powered Mini-500 tail-rotor makes more noise than any other part of the aircraft, even though that component is quieter than most other helicopters. That says a lot for the design and performance of the main rotor-system.

I am proud to say that almost anyone that has flown a properly built - tracked and balanced Mini-500 has said that they are one of the smoothest and nicest flying helicopters they have ever flown, and that’s a good compliment for a home-built kit helicopter. My employees put their hearts into the building of parts and components of that machine you flew. I’m sure if they saw all of your complimenst, it would be very meaningful to them.

I’m not posting this to be starting a fight, or to “slander” someone, I'm just a paying member of this forum commenting on your posts here. I’m undeniably the designer and builder of the Mini-500 helicopter and I’m only posting here so that people will have the opportunity to know the full facts, that’s all, not to start trouble. Anyone starting an argument, becoming slanderous and acting disrespectful here is their decision, and their fault. I put a lot of years into designing and developing the Mini-500, and perfecting it into a good flying aircraft, and everyone has to respect that fact, and understand why I would be concerned when someone tries to change the name of my creation.

Now that I have had an opportunity to see all the detailed pictures of John’s Mini-500, I can with knowledge say that yes it is a 99% stock Mini-500 that I built or designed in my RHCI factory except for a few basic modifications to run the Yamaha engine, and yes, more horsepower is always welcomed. I saw no other fixes that you mentioned other than the upgrades that I originally designed, except for what they had to do to run the Yamaha engine.

Of course, it will obviously never meet its full potential of speed with the body cut away and leg-fairings missing and that will also add aerodynamic noise to the aircraft both in the cabin and during fly-bys, but when trying to add modifications to an existing design, there are always going to be sacrifices and drawbacks. Stan has discovered first-hand the benefits of aerodynamics in his Helicycle threads started about the testing he did.

Also, I can see its all stock-designed Mini-500 control parts, rotorhead and blades, along with the tail-rotor box and blade system. Naturally the composite parts all came out of our RHCI molds and have just been cut away.

Understandably no one would like to see their product that they spent years to develop simply taken by someone else and attempted to be copied without due compensation. Worse is when they take your product, one you built, make a few changes and then give it a different name, as if that will fool anyone, and try to market it. No human could simply stand by and let that happen to them without saying something, nor should no human condone it when someone is trying to pull off such a deed.

Yes, it has a different engine, and yes it has a slightly modified frame and other small changes to support that engine, but the real fact is that the rest is Mini-500.

Anyone that has not achieved it cannot comprehend the time, difficulty and money it takes to design a helicopter from the ground up, and then to build the factory to produce those helicopters. It is my opinion, and experience has also shown me that even with 99% of that work done for you by copying it, it is almost as difficult to take someone’s helicopter and try to reproduce it as it was for the real entrepreneur to do in the first place. That is why I can’t think of anyone that has been successful doing so, without the full support and help from the original designer. Over the years many have tried to take old helicopter designs and bring them back to life and in production again, but to my knowledge, they have never succeeded. Sure, a copy reproduced here and there, but never back to production. It takes great heart and conviction to succeed in building helicopters, and you can’t do that if you are starting out without pure conviction, and if you have pure conviction then you would create your own design from the ground up and don’t take what belongs to someone else.

I hope you all have a good time at the fly-in, and everyone returns home safe.
.

[baronpilot]

I guess I will make some modifications as well since we are trolling threads

Dennis,

Are you telling me that John paid you nothing for the rights to do what he did to this helicopter? You have never been paid at all? If it was such a great design why does it take a good ole' boy from Arkansas to make it work correctly instead of the original designer? When the mini-500 developed frame cracks did you give the fix out for free or did people pay for it? How about the PEP kit?

Exactly how much is your non-flying design that has claimed 20 or so lives worth? How long are you going to hold onto this grudge? If you are so proud of this machine then pay John back any money he has paid you and BUY his modifications and re-market this superior machine. Otherwise, why don't you simply thank him for taking your 50% engineered machine and making it 100%?

Want to compare how "smooth" your piston burning Rotax is to a Helicycle? John's engine adaptation is the ONLY reason I would consider a mini-500. Every time you see one for sale on eBay, Barnstormers,etc. Look at the pictures. It is usually a machine sitting behind some barn with a rusted out Pinto next to it or is sitting in front of a storage unit where it has sat for the last 10 years.

[DennisFetters]

Originally Posted by baronpilot

I guess I will make some modifications as well since we are trolling threads

Dennis,

Are you telling me that John paid you nothing for the rights to do what he did to this helicopter? You have never been paid at all? If it was such a great design why does it take a good ole' boy from Arkansas to make it work correctly instead of the original designer? When the mini-500 developed frame cracks did you give the fix out for free or did people pay for it? How about the PEP kit?

Exactly how much is your non-flying design that has claimed 20 or so lives worth? How long are you going to hold onto this grudge? If you are so proud of this machine then pay John back any money he has paid you and BUY his modifications and re-market this superior machine. Otherwise, why don't you simply thank him for taking your 50% engineered machine and making it 100%?

Want to compare how "smooth" your piston burning Rotax is to a Helicycle? John's engine adaptation is the ONLY reason I would consider a mini-500. Every time you see one for sale on eBay, Barnstormers,etc. Look at the pictures. It is usually a machine sitting behind some barn with a rusted out Pinto next to it or is sitting in front of a storage unit where it has sat for the last 10 years.

Todd,

Any reasonably minded person would not say what you said if you know the facts and the history.

I sold a newly designed helicopter to people. I only sold that helicopter to people that first agreed by contract that they were buying the aircraft at a substantially reduced price, and knew full well the complicities of owning a new design, and if it needed upgrading they would be responsible for the cost of those upgrades and the shipping.

As those problems came up, I also came up with the fixes, and gave most away for free, or only charged the owner my direct cost. Please, tell me of another manufacturer that did that?

As I said, the few problems with the Mini-500 did have, I fixed and make the fix available free or at my cost before I closed the factory.

The forum leaders don't want me to bring up the dealings between Me and John here, so I'll respect that. But you opened the door, so now I have t answer in short; No, John did not honor his end of our contract, and that is why it was revoked, and he agreed these terms to give up in another contract. The Mini-500 Print-Books and all the specifications within are copyright protected now, and I will enforce my rights to them, because I indisputably own it.

Also, as I have proved here through records posted in the past, no one has ever been killed in a Mini-500 except for pilot error, and all we avoidable and not due to any failure of a component or poor flying characteristic.

Stealing is stealing, no matter how you try to explain it away, sorry.

[baronpilot]

So, John never paid you anything?

As far as I know, the Helicycle has not had any frame cracks that required a mod. You are telling me that you did not charge anything for a frame mod? Should all great designs require a mod later to fix frame cracks?

As long as we are talking about stealing - Just how much did you pay MD for their design of the MD500 cabin and the use of their name? Your cabin and landing gear design (which I consider the only thing good about the machine) is a pure ripoff of the MD500. How much did you pay them?

[DennisFetters]

Originally Posted by baronpilot

So, John never paid you anything?

As far as I know, the Helicycle has not had any frame cracks that required a mod. You are telling me that you did not charge anything for a frame mod? Should all great designs require a mod later to fix frame cracks?

Todd, you well know that I fixed the frame cracking many years ago. It was an essue that was resolved.

As long as we are talking about stealing - Just how much did you pay MD for their design of the MD500 cabin and the use of their name? Your cabin and landing gear design (which I consider the only thing good about the machine) is a pure ripoff of the MD500. How much did you pay them?

There are many kit aircraft that were replicas of certified aircraft. It is unreasonable for you to throw that in my face, and you know that. Its an act of obvious desperation for an argument. You seem like a nice guy, please stop before it become unbecoming.

Add to that, a team from McDonald Douglass came to my factory to admire the Mini-500, where I showed them how we manufactured it, along with the way I pioneered how to build the Mini-500 composite roterblades. They were very impressed and had no objections.

When I wanted to us the "T" control stick system that the R-22 uses on my Voyager-500 two-place helicopter, I sent the modified design prints to Mr. Frank Robinson and asked his approval to use it. He wrote me back and agreed, and commented on my honesty to ask first.

[bryancobb]

Originally Posted by DennisFetters

...When I wanted to us the "T" control stick system that the R-22 uses on my Voyager-500 two-place helicopter, I sent the modified design prints to Mr. Frank Robinson and asked his approval to use it. He wrote me back and agreed, and commented on my honesty to ask first...

If that's true, that gets you a couple "brownie-points" with ME!

[DennisFetters]

Originally Posted by bryancobb

If that's true, that gets you a couple "brownie-points" with ME!

I have never lied here before, why would I do so with that fact? Ask Frank.

[baronpilot]

Dennis,

I am not calling you a liar. Please answer my questions: Did you charge for the frame crack upgrades and if so, how much? Did John pay you for rights or not?

Next, it is NOT unreasonable to point out the FACT that the main draw to your little helicopter was the FACT that it exactly resembled probably the best looking and best performing small helicopter in the world. You also hijacked the name calling it the mini-500. Furthermore, your gearbox systems are simply modifications of what was already available on many certified ships.

I have supported you before and will continue to do so on many things, but the fact that your machine was DEAD before John came along and the fact that you are doing NOTHING to bring it back and help your previous customers shows that you only want to do one thing - collect money while the majority of the fleet rots away in the sheds of trailer parks. It is a shame to say the least.

If you really want to help why don't you move back to the US, assume your true identity, and work with John to make this thing great? The Helicycle and Mosquito needs competition.

[DennisFetters]

Originally Posted by baronpilot

Dennis,

I am not calling you a liar. Please answer my questions: Did you charge for the frame crack upgrades and if so, how much? Did John pay you for rights or not?

Next, it is NOT unreasonable to point out the FACT that the main draw to your little helicopter was the FACT that it exactly resembled probably the best looking and best performing small helicopter in the world. You also hijacked the name calling it the mini-500. Furthermore, your gearbox systems are simply modifications of what was already available on many certified ships.

I have supported you before and will continue to do so on many things, but the fact that your machine was DEAD before John came along and the fact that you are doing NOTHING to bring it back and help your previous customers shows that you only want to do one thing - collect money while the majority of the fleet rots away in the sheds of trailer parks. It is a shame to say the least.

If you really want to help why don't you move back to the US, assume your true identity, and work with John to make this thing great? The Helicycle and Mosquito needs competition.

Todd, I didn't say you were calling me a lier. That was just a comment I made to Bryan.

To answer your questions;

I am trying to avoid answering question about the deal I had with Millennium Helicopters because the owner of the forum asked me to keep it off the forum. It's his forum so I need to respect that, but it's hard when you keep opening the door, so I'm forced to answer your questions in the best way I can and still respect the forum owners request.

Yes, John did give me a down pay, which was substantially reduced, because he agreed to pay me a commission for every part he built, or any Mini-500 or Voyager-500 he built, or any helicopter that was derived from the technology I provided. THAT IS WHAT HE AGREED TO DO!!! I provided him all the prints and other technical assistance I could, always being available on the phone to answer questions and emails.

Over a year goes by and John is advertising all the helicopters and parts he is selling, and I'm not receiving a dime. I send him an email asking about my commission, and he answers by saying he don't know what I'm talking about. I posted all the evidence here on the forum to prove it, but the forum owner deleted it.

I was forced to sue John to try and make him abide to our agreement. That cost me a lot of money, more than he paid me. In our settlement, we agreed that I would keep that money for my cost to try and make him honor his end of the agreement, and he agreed to stop making my parts and selling them, and to not sell the Mini-500 as a copy.

Now, you said it was a DEAD machine, so what should I care? Well, we do both agree that it is MY DEAD MACHINE, so it is up to me what I do with it, and you don't have any idea what my plans are. So, I guess it is still my decision to make.

I'm not even going to argue with you further about the Mini-500 being a replica of the MD-500. Thats a foolish argument and time wasting.

Now Todd, if you don't know my name change history, then you should have researched that before bringing it up. The facts are all posted here on the forum. The way you are trying to say it is that I changed my name to hide and ran away out of the country. If you know the facts, then telling it the way you did is a borderline lie. Giving you the benefit of a dough, I'll repeat the history;

While I was still running RHCI, I met a Muslim woman and we decided to marry. I needed to change my name to a Muslim name due to the laws of her country. After we were married and moved back to the USA, I legally changed my name back to it's original, as it has been ever since.

After closing RHCI, I lived and worked out of my own shop in California for over 10 years, all the time participating on this forum, giving out my address and being available to anyone wanting to meet with me.

I sincerely hope that in the future you will not try and twist these facts again to sound like something else.

As for moving back to the USA and using my talents to build you aircraft? No thank you, never again. I live by facts, and I plan my future with those facts. And the fact is that the future of aviation and economical development is in China.

This is where all the money is; we should know, we sent it all here. I am mostly needed here, and the work I do will help influence the aviation industry here. I like China very much, and I am always thanked by everyone for being here to help develop their aviation industry. These people don't rant and rave about me here, they appreciate me. I am welcomed. China is the new Wild Wild West, where you can go to make your dreams come true. In fact, it's the America 150 years ago, the new land of opportunity. Anyone want to disagree, is only avoiding the facts.

Yes, I am still a red-blooded American and I love my country and hope the best for it, but I'm afraid things will need to get a lot, lot.... lot worse before it will actually recover where their is money to invest into helicopter projects.

I hope that I have answered your questions.

[baronpilot]

So, you gave up your name and heritage to marry a Muslim woman and then moved to China for opportunity?

Dennis, I have been a car dealer for over 25 years and have heard just about everything, but yours takes the cake.

First, if what you say is true, then I feel very sorry for you. Any man that would change HIS name to marry a woman and adopt another religion is a very confused man. For that same man then to move to China because there is "opportunity" is disappointing also.

Like I said earlier, when your building was under water all you had to do is call your insurance company for the check and take care of your customers. I think I would just put a bullet in my head before changing my name, believing in a faith that embraces pedophiles, and then moving to a communist country for opportunity.

I'm done commenting.

Note to John. Forget this project. There is no way on God's green Earth I would want to have anything to do with this design. Instead, copy the R22 and claim it is your own design. I'm sure Frank will buy you a beer and embrace your accomplishment. Make sure you put the crappiest two-stroke you can find in it, pray for a flood, take the insurance money, change religions, marry a communist, and sue everyone. I am sure this is how Young and Robinson did it.

Wow! Can we now talk about helicopters that are flying instead of who screwed who?

[DennisFetters]

Originally Posted by baronpilot

So, you gave up your name and heritage to marry a Muslim woman and then moved to China for opportunity?

Dennis, I have been a car dealer for over 25 years and have heard just about everything, but yours takes the cake.

First, if what you say is true, then I feel very sorry for you. Any man that would change HIS name to marry a woman and adopt another religion is a very confused man. For that same man then to move to China because there is "opportunity" is disappointing also.

Like I said earlier, when your building was under water all you had to do is call your insurance company for the check and take care of your customers. I think I would just put a bullet in my head before changing my name, believing in a faith that embraces pedophiles, and then moving to a communist country for opportunity.

I'm done commenting.

Note to John. Forget this project. There is no way on God's green Earth I would want to have anything to do with this design. Instead, copy the R22 and claim it is your own design. I'm sure Frank will buy you a beer and embrace your accomplishment. Make sure you put the crappiest two-stroke you can find in it, pray for a flood, take the insurance money, change religions, marry a communist, and sue everyone. I am sure this is how Young and Robinson did it.

Wow! Can we now talk about helicopters that are flying instead of who screwed who?

Todd, I'm sure that I'm not the only one here that is very disappointed in what you have to say.

What do you know about my heritage? How do you know I gave anything up?

The United States became a great country from people in different lands coming there for the hope of opportunity. There was nothing more American than that.

It is also very American to have the freedom of choice. I choose to merry a woman that I loved, and I did what I had to do to accomplish that. Are you saying that if you had to go through the same trouble that you would not have married your wife? Tell her that and see her reaction. It must not have been love that motivated you, hoping that is not true. I would have gone to the ends of the world for her... wait, I did go to the end of the world. What does that say to you about me and my convictions to do what I what to do, or need to do? It takes that type of a strong conviction to design and build helicopters.

The insurance money I received from the flood would not have come even close to paying people back their deposits. I did the only thing I could, and that was to forge forward, which was the right decision. That took guts and a lot of work. You could never understand, nor are you capable of making a comment of any value as to what I should have done due to your complete and utter lack of knowledge about the circumstances.

I will say that you gave John some good advice. Give up on the Mini-500 copy, because it is a copy, and go copy Franks design. Let's see what Frank will do..... We all know that John, as you said; has no problem coping someone else's helicopter and claiming it as his own".

As for living in a Communist country.... again, you don't know what you are talking about. I have more freedom here than I did in the USA. People here are happy and business is good. Anyone that comes to China is shocked to learn that everything they were lead to believe about it is 90% wrong. It is clean and run with wisdom.

I am free to make my own decisions. Who are you to ever question them?

[NoWingsAttached]

Girls, girls, please take your dollies and go home. You have uglified and hijacked a respectable thread that CLEARLY states in the title that this is for current MENTONE HELICOPTER PHOTOS.

You can always open another thread that says something like "HELICOPTER DESIGN ARGUMENTS WELCOME HERE", and I will be sure to ignore it, as I am ignoring this ENTIRE page of sniping and nonsense.

Thank you for your respectful appreciation of our desire for peace and quiet for a little while. That said....


************************************************


Hopefully I'll get a chance to post a video today of John's Yamaha MH1 in hover.

What a sweet little green monster this thing is! He's done an excellent job on the conversion to a 4 stroke, 120HP powerplant, one of the main attractions at the event this year in my book!!!

Well done John, very nicely executed. With close to 100 hours logged on the conversion, it is also, by now, "tried and true".

[baronpilot]

I apologize

[HobbyCAD]

Originally Posted by baronpilot

Dennis, I have been a car dealer for over 25 years and have heard just about everything, but yours takes the cake.

Todd, you were "good" in my books, until you just now admited you are a used car salesman!! Your forum profile only states your occupation as "sales". I'm shocked to the bone. It's going to take a while for me to trust you now.....

Francois