Pawnee

Wannabe1

Newbie
Joined
Feb 12, 2008
Messages
119
Location
Prairie du Sac, WI
Aircraft
renting R22 and R44
Total Flight Time
80 hours
I had a nice visit with Ron Willocks, the owner of the Pawnee Chief.

http://www.pawneeaviation.com/

This is a two place (even three) experimental out of CO. He seems to have put the time and effort into this helicopter and is just now getting it to the point where he has something to sell. The tranny is rated at 1000 hp, the engine is now the Edelbrock E-TEC EFI 440 HP small block chevy. He said that with the MR the pilot has 2.4 seconds to lower the collective to get into a successful auto. 700 hours before replacing the drive belt, 250 hours before replacing the tail rotor shaft bearings. Otherwise just change the oil. Has built 16 helos.

Anyone have any experience with this helicopter or with Ron?

Thanks,
Tom
 
What is the price of his kits and what do they include? That is a bunch of HP for sure.
 
How is Ron doing?

I use to talk with him back when I was building my Dusty 2 helicopter.

he is a really nice guy and he has done alot of upgrades on the Chief over the years.

It looks like he has gotten it worked out pretty nice. you would not beleive how much engineering has gone into the testing of his design and components.
I use to have a bunch of pics of the Proto type he sent me. but when my hard drive crashed a few years ago I lost them. if you talk to him again tell him I said hi.
 
Friendly... The price complete is $88,500.

Animal... Ron is 68 now and had some health problems which he seems to have licked. He is moving his machinery to CO from NE and seems to have a good handle on most of his component suppliers (mostly ISO9001). It sure sounds like he put some money and time into these components. His approach seems to be high horsepower and inertia along with high weight. Just recently I read that he had Jim Fackler debug the vibrations on his prototype, apparently with some success. Ron has decided to go back to using his old test pilot Keith (but Keith is just off back surgery). Keith is not available for a month or so.

My problems wth the Pawnee are more the lack of any sort of failsafe for engine ignition and the lack of flight hours on his prototype helicopter (about 100 hours). I like the power and the auto capabilities. I like that he is going to increase the speed of the tail rotor based on what Jim Fackler told him. Ron will not be at Oshkosh this year. I'm thinking it might be worth the trip to CO later this summer to snag a ride.
 
I hope he can get it worked out, I would love to see him do well with his design.
I love the video of it hovering on his web site. it sounds like a Huey. got to love a helicopter that beats the air into submission. being this helicopter uses a big auto engine. it would probably be a great helicopter to use in the out back.

Oh well I guess time will tell.
I wish him the best, he really has worked hard on the design for many years.
 
Ron sent me a very short DVD of his helicopter doing a bit more hovering. The engine really sounds great as the helo moves away from the camera. May be one of the best sounding helos in the helicopter world! You can see a change in the TR guard in the newer video, but I don't see any other changes. The new video only includes hovering. You kinda wonder if it gets any flights in the pattern or the surrounding area.
 
For those who want to be inspired to make an utility helicopter:

Is anybody going on with this project???
 

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That is so automotive. Even the muffler looks to be the classic Corvair muffler from the Sixties.

The gearbox looks like a racing differential with one side lopped off. The airframe looks a little under-engineered.

I don't know why that wouldn't be one of the best helicopters ever designed and built.
 
Hard to say

Hard to say

What do you mean?:welcome:

Just first impressions.

A little overbuilt in some areas and a little underbuilt in others.

Clearances in some areas are large.

Base frame seems too wide; 22 inches is a standard engine bed width.

Cabin struts are questionable.

Cabin too flat backed

Four strut rotor mounting in square tube seems too flexible and torquable.

I really like it though. I think using the automotive stuff, easily obtained and inexpensive, as well as being bullet-proof, will make this a favorite build. I would like to see it in a kit or as a plan build.

It's too copyable to be a factory built and delivered design for very long.

Just my opinions.

Just having the photos out there will inspire many.
 
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From October 2006 publication:

From October 2006 publication:

From October 2006 publication:
 

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