Hah! (Redux)

RotaryWingBob

RotaryWingBob

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iHover
Subtitle: Runway? We don't need no stinkin' runway...

The wife and I had planned to go to Sky Manor, NJ today for lunch. I got a briefing on the way to the airport and was told the runway was closed. I verified with the briefer that the NOTAM didn't say anything about the airport being closed. So after having a partner fly me to Smoketown in the R22 to get the R44, which was getting pinstriping done, I went back to N99 to pick up my wife.

We passed just south of Van Sant, then spotted N40. Soon we were on downwind having turned just abeam of the numbers on runway X, passed runway X's numbers at the other end, and did a landing to the ramp.

The joint was strangely quiet (that is, no air traffic), although the restaurant was doing a pretty good drive in business. The only aircraft which came in for lunch were us and a Rotorway.

Anyway, I departed parallel to 25 and was at about 100 AGL when a Cessna announced he was downwind for 25. Being a nice guy, I told him the runway was closed. Then another guy asks me to say again. Which I did. So here you have two pilots who obviously didn't get a briefing, plus, when I was doing a quick preflight, there was another a/c orbiting the airport. So maybe the count is three, not two :rolleyes:

Anyway, it was a great day for flying...

Hah! Rotors rule!

:heli:
 
I hear ya, it's so easy to miss those Xs sometimes.
If I decide to land at an airport off my planned route, I'll give FSS a radio & ask for any NOTAMs before landing -usually takes less than one minute.

You seem to be having it to easy in that new chopper!
 
I loved going to Sky Manor. I used to live only seven miles away. But that was back in the 70s and it was very very rural. I wonder how the area has changed.
 
Ugh. Another one bites the dust? Why did the close Sky Manor Bob?
 
i think its for resurfacing anthony. bob just likes to show off that he doesnt need no stinking runways. showoff.

but i bet he cant go as far as i can without an engine :)
 
tonycondon said:
i think its for resurfacing anthony. bob just likes to show off that he doesnt need no stinking runways. showoff.

but i bet he cant go as far as i can without an engine :)
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This may be true, but we only need a space the size of someone's backyard to put it down, thus glide distance is irrelevant. :p
 
i can do 100 yards pretty easy with no obstructions. :)
 
Laurie said:
This may be true, but we only need a space the size of someone's backyard to put it down, thus glide distance is irrelevant. :p
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I can do that in a plane too...
 
Laurie said:
...thus glide distance is irrelevant. :p
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Not over Lake Michigan in the winter (or summer for that matter).;)
 
Laurie said:
This may be true, but we only need a space the size of someone's backyard to put it down, thus glide distance is irrelevant. :p
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If I was going to lose an engine .. I'd much rather it would be
in a chopper.
 
I think I'd be better off losing an engine in a 172 over Minnesota Vs. in a chopper..I'm basing this purely on my helicopter skills in Lance's R/C simulator.
 
RogerT said:
If I was going to lose an engine .. I'd much rather it would be
in a chopper.
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Yep. If you're over woods, do you want to crash through the trees or settle into them with no airspeed. We report. You decide!
 
tonycondon said:
i think its for resurfacing anthony. bob just likes to show off that he doesnt need no stinking runways. showoff.

but i bet he cant go as far as i can without an engine :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Tony and Bob for the udpate. You had me worried there for a minute.

Bob has a right to show off. Its pretty cool what helos can do although they're not as practical as cross country machines as their fixed wing brethren.
 
Anthony said:
Bob has a right to show off. Its pretty cool what helos can do although they're not as practical as cross country machines as their fixed wing brethren.
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I don't know, that R44 can boogie along quite nicely. There is a local guy that regularly flies his R44 between Chattanooga and Destin, FL. At 1500agl!!!
 
Bill Jennings said:
I don't know, that R44 can boogie along quite nicely. There is a local guy that regularly flies his R44 between Chattanooga and Destin, FL. At 1500agl!!!
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Maybe you're right, but when I said practical I also meant the hourly cost of operating those contraptions. :)

What's the cruise speed on the R44?
 
Anthony said:
Maybe you're right, but when I said practical I also meant the hourly cost of operating those contraptions. :)

What's the cruise speed on the R44?
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Vne under most conditions is 130 KIAS. With two people on board and around 22" MP, the ship wants to boogie along at 115-120 KIAS. What we don't have is the endurance of an airplane. At that same 22" the fuel burn is about 15 gph, and useable fuel is just a whisker less than 50 gal. The regs require a 20 minute fuel reserve in helicopters so that means you want to plan fuel stops at 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours.

We don't have a real good handle on costs yet. We're charging ourselves $200 an hour wet, but that will probably get adjusted (up or down :dunno: ) after some period of time.
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Vne under most conditions is 130 KIAS. With two people on board and around 22" MP, the ship wants to boogie along at 115-120 KIAS. What we don't have is the endurance of an airplane. At that same 22" the fuel burn is about 15 gph, and useable fuel is just a whisker less than 50 gal. The regs require a 20 minute fuel reserve in helicopters so that means you want to plan fuel stops at 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours.

We don't have a real good handle on costs yet. We're charging ourselves $200 an hour wet, but that will probably get adjusted (up or down :dunno: ) after some period of time.
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Bob. Time for that Bell Jet Ranger. :yes:
 
Anthony said:
Bob. Time for that Bell Jet Ranger. :yes:
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Believe it or not, Anthony, a R44 Raven II is faster than either a JetRanger or LongRanger! The Bells can carry more payload, but their range isn't much more. Now, maybe if I had a rich uncle who left me many millions... Nah, no Bell, no Agusta, it would be a MD-500 class ship. Less range, but lots faster (another 20 kt), and Fun Fun Fun, now that daddy took the T-bird away :D
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Believe it or not, Anthony, a R44 Raven II is faster than either a JetRanger or LongRanger! The Bells can carry more payload, but their range isn't much more. Now, maybe if I had a rich uncle who left me many millions... Nah, no Bell, no Agusta, it would be a MD-500 class ship. Less range, but lots faster (another 20 kt), and Fun Fun Fun, now that daddy took the T-bird away :D
Click to expand...

Interesting. I learned something new!
 
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