Helicom Commuter H1B ,I restoration of a classic

restoration

restoration

So tim any idea when the special day will be when you get the commuter back

Animal,

How is your man doing on the tail rotors?

I find it hard to believe that the impulse coupler cares what position it is in to work.

The chopper looks great. Nicely done.

Those non-symmetrical tail rotor blades will give a lot more thrust nose-left than nose-right the way they are installed in that photo - that's the opposite of what you need here given the direction the main rotor turns.

Tim, Had a very small part in the one place. Dave asked me to go with him eons ago to look at the engine he wanted to buy for it. Don't know if that is the present 90 HP one or not. It is high time I do a poem for the most popular and well liked rotornut ever. How will I fit all the babes in and all the other good stuff ???

animal said:

Bendix mags, like you have,
rely on gravity to operate the impulse pawls. Later Bendix impulse couplings are spring loaded but I kind of
suspect you still have the old style and they are not designed to operate vertically.
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It has been a lot years since I had to do anything with magnetos and don't remember seeing anything with gravity operated impulse couplers.
Learn something new every day. Thanks.

Ok, maybe just an optical illusion - nevermind...

Tim I nearly missed all the excitement as I have been off-line for quite a while.

GREAT NEWS... Way to get it done and done right Tim!!!

Hover lovers now is your chance to have a dependable Lyc powered helicopter!!

Tim , I like the video. On the generator I was wondering if you had flashed it. Most items these days have alternators and many mechanics forget about flashing.

You haven't sold it yet? I heard it was on Ebay with one bid

Is this thing flying yet ??

Tim,

You are a very talented fellow. The way you built that panel is awesome.

Tom

Tim I know about the taking care of mom part, mine is 85 and in a wheel chair. Times are tough now and not much is moving unless someone is willing to give it away and I hope the Helicom does not come to that, it is a good machine. I enjoyed meeting up with at Mentone and look forward to meeting you again, perhaps Mentone next year. Take care.

Just Remember vote all the sorry S.O.B.'s out of office next year, the economy might just start to improve.
Tim have you tried listing on Barnstormers? it would get much more exposure than Ebay. Of course the best time to sell would be right around the time people get their tax checks back, has worked well when selling cars..Good luck my man.

should have took the 15 grand and found something else Tim.

What you think something is worth and what it is really worth can be two different things.

I know 10 years ago, the helicopter would probably found a home at close to 30 grand. I say probably loosely, it is a complex machine that most people would be very concerned about putting their life on the line to fly..... by that I mean, if a person were shopping for any kind of aircraft to buy and fly, a homebuilt helicopter would likely be the one aircraft type that a possible buyer would be most concerned about, and being almost a one of a kind machine, it would take a very special buyer to buy it..... But it would have probably sold at some point.

now a days it is harder. People aren't throwing money around like they used to. They will still pay a premium price for a premium product ( Harley Davidson is still selling new bikes at 18-35 grand, Moskito helicopters sell at over 30 grand as fast as they can make them, Ford and Chevy still sell tons of Diesel trucks and luxury SUV's at 50-70 grand ) But people aren't paying big bucks for non premium items anymore. Case in point.... Harley clones, Most of the clone companies are closing shop, I believe Titan and Big Dog, two of the best, have closed shop due to slow sales. People can't give away a used Titan or Bigdog motorcycle, when just a few years ago, they were selling even used at prices much higher than a new FatBoy or Roadking.

I think the idea of ever getting what you wanted for the helicopter is a dream that won't come true. I am sorry.

Will it ever sell for 30 grand? Maybe...... in 20 or 30 years from now. Maybe sooner.... But not likely in the next 5 or 10 years.

I could be wrong. I hope I am wrong for your sake. I really do.

Meanwhile, life is short. Just do what you can with it. I too would love to own and fly a helicopter. And yours is right up the road and within my reach finacially. I could buy it and take lessons and be a helicopter pilot. BUT.... The reality is even with my means, which aren't that great, I know good and well I can't afford to fly a helicopter. It's just too expensive for someone like myself. But I can fly a gyro or a airplane and I am very happy to do so.

I could offer advise but you won't take it. And if anything you will just get mad and lash out at me for offering it.... But I will do it anyways.

Contact the highest bidder and offer him the helicopter. Try to get as much as you can, but if he won't go higher than 15, just take it. you can take 2-5 grand out of that to really get some good lessons. Not screwing around with Gary or a hour or two here and there, but go to a instructor who can teach you privately and daily and spend a week and get solo'ed. You can do it.... it will just take some time in the seat getting comfortable. Turn around with the change left over and either buy a nice used gyro or build one like a gyrobee of some sort. Or screw rotorcraft all together and pick up a used plane of some sort of another. Eitherway, you will have enough money to have a decent flying machine and the lessons needed to fly it.

I know you want certain things out of a machine like a enclosure, two seats, etc... etc.... But you can't afford it. Maybe a airplane, but not a rotorcraft. Not a good rotorcraft. If you want to FLY, then fly what you can afford.

I want a 200+ mph aerobatic plane that seats 4.... I can't afford it. So I settled for my little 115 mph 2 seat Titan. Less than 20 grand and alot of fun to own and fly.

The other thing I know you won't like is this.... Get a job. Seriously. Even a steady job at the carwash washing cars... A job at the tire shop doing tire changes and oil changes. Walmart, stocking shelves. McDonalds... whatever. Get a steady income to work with. If you want to make a living doing lawncare you can, but it takes alot of work.... You know what I do everyday.... it isn't easy. And you have to seek out the right clients. And even in that case you still have ups and downs. But bottom line is if your not working your not making money. If you only got 5 yards to mow a week then that means you should have at least 5 days your not working, not earning money. Life is so much sweeter when you make money, rather than just moving money around like you have been doing. Sure you have bought a few things and sold them later for a profit, that is sort of a job..... but if your not buying and selling alot of stuff your not making much money. It perplexes me that you don't have a normal steady regular job. Even though your not a young guy anymore, you seem to be in great health and in good shape.... if you applied yourself I can't see why you wouldn't be able to make a decent living, and have some money to play with and do things.

As for what is said on the forum... Just man up. It's just words in cyberspace. Who gives a rip what anyone says? It means nothing. Most of the time you just take what is said out of context and get bent out of shape for nothing anyhow. This forum should be the LAST reason in the world to not do what you want to do as far as flying goes.

I wish you luck

Hey Animal, Hold your head up and just keep moving forward, things will always work out in the long run.

This is just a suggestion, sell the heli for what ever you can get out of it, kiss it good buy,pat it on the rear, Take the money and just buy the Gyronimo from Jon, Get signed off and fly it for awhile, get some air time under your belt. This is a good machine and very easy to fly. Great to learn on. when your ready to move up just do so then.
Mean time hang on to as much funds as you can with the remainder from the heli sell and put that towards your 2 seater Gyro along with the funds from the Gyronimo when you sell it later.
That gives you a sign off,Air time,a gyro that you can sell later,and money to get buy on if need be,and money to buy a good gyro 2 seater later,

Its right in your lap man, Right now, today, Just think about it.
Flying around your home town videoing and posting pics and such while you get all of this behind you.

You could be flying this gyro in no time, Get freshed up with the instructor and go for it.
You already have what you need to get started and could be flying this machine in no time.
Jon is about to put this gyro up for sale, it is a proven gyro and fly's really well and easy, It will sell fast, so you need to give it some thought quick.

Ron,

Great advice and good common sense. I have a lot of respect for you. You work hard and play hard. And you accomplish your goals.

Tom

Thanks Tom.

My only regret in life is screwing around in my teen years and not getting a education

Tim- Excellent advice here in this thread. I went through several gyro and gyro builds and enjoyed the experience. I would personally let your helicopter go and buy a small gyro or build a gyrobee that you can enjoy building, and fly it without a license. As mentioned, get a concentrated block of training to get soloed in a gyro. I would tell any helicopter wanabe pilot that if they can't land a gyro proficiently dead stick, then doing one in a helicopter is going to be much harder. The problem with helicopters is that they are by far the easiest machine I have ever landed with power, but are the hardest to land when the engine goes dead. If the passion to fly is truly there, you will find a way to afford it. My flying has been an excellent motivator to find a way to afford it. I wish you the best. Stan

GyroRon said:

Thanks Tom.

My only regret in life is screwing around in my teen years and not getting a education

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That seems to be my only regret as well Ron. I should have been far more productive in my teen years .