A cockpit POV video from the FlyingMAir YouTube Channel.
COME FLY WITH ME as I make a quick, 15-minute flight from my base in Malaga, WA over Jumpoff Ridge and across the Colockum to Ellensburg, WA for an FAA check ride at Bowers Field. This is a narrated flight with radio chatter. Along the way, I explain how I climb over the 1,000 foot cliff near my home, why the clutch light goes on periodically, and a bunch of other things. You’ll see various terrain changes and maybe even spot Mount Rainier in the haze.
About Me and the Helicopter
- I have been flying for about 20 years. My nearly 4,000 hours of flight time is in Robinson R44, Robinson R22, and Bell 206L (Long Ranger) helicopters.
- The helicopter is a Robinson R44 Raven II — the same one that appears in the photo at the beginning of the video. You can learn more about them here: https://robinsonheli.com/r44-specifications/ I own this helicopter. It is the third helicopter I’ve owned since 2000.
- My helicopter has ADS-B Out and is picked up by radar facilities. You can see my track for recent flights on Flightradar24: https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n7534D This is a great site for tracking any almost any flight, including the airlines.
About the Video
- The video was recorded with a pair of GoPro cameras, one of which is connected to the helicopter’s intercom system. Both cameras record audio, but I dialed down the helicopter sound to about 25% of normal volume so it wouldn’t be annoying. I wouldn’t mind leaving it out altogether, but lots of folks seem to want it, so there it is.
- The video was edited on a Macintosh using Screenflow software. (Screenflow was the only affordable software I could find that allowed me to do picture-in-picture.) Learn more about it here: https://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm
- The intro music is by Bob Levitus, famed “Dr. Mac.” You can find him here: http://www.boblevitus.com/
I’m trying to drop flying videos like this one every Sunday morning and usually drop “extras” with more info about owning and operating a helicopter midweek. I also host occasional livestreams with Q&A chats. Subscribe so you don’t miss anything new! And tell your friends. The more subscribers I have, the more motivated I am to keep producing videos like this one.
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Thanks for the ride Maria. How’d the check ride go?
Thanks for watching! Check ride went well. I passed and that’s all I care about.
I never saw any thoughts on this subject here, but thought I’d bring it up. Not sure why there are no joint ownership groups for R44’s. Diluting the costs of ownership among 2 or more people seems to be a no-brainer. I’d like to discuss this issue with whomever is interested. I have some financial means, but I don’t want to blow 200k+ for what to me is pretty much a hobby.
$200K? I wish! My first R44 cost $346K 14 years ago. The current price for something outfitted like mine would be just over $600K including tax. (I know this because I just priced it out for an upcoming video.) You can probably get a decent used one for about $400K.
I’m all for an R44 partnership. The trick is finding partners who are serious enough to put up the money and keep contributing.
My annual cost of owning a helicopter is about $20,000, which includes insurance and annual inspections — both of which are required fixed costs. So if I had 4 partners, after each chipping in $100K to buy a share of a $400K used helicopter, they’d each have to put up $5K/year to cover fixed costs. Now add hangar costs because it would have to be centrally located where we could all access it. Now add the reserve for overhaul ($110/hour), fuel cost, oil cost, unscheduled maintenance cost. Now find three people willing to do that who live within 25 miles of the helicopter. It ain’t gonna happen where I live, although it might be possible in a major city.
Thanks for getting back to me! There are quite a few heli’s in the 150k to 200k range. It’s a function of available hours before rebuild. Doing the math, it appears you can get the cost down to about 200/hr buying with maybe 500 hrs left, then selling with 150 left or so. I am told the timed out hull is worth about 125k. Buying a Raven1 with no AC or fuel injection can save $ as well. It sounds like the one you bought was new and had all the bells and whistles, so I can see the large $$ amount. I guess my biggest issue is the fact that there are a finite number of heli pilots, then you factor in the need for some slightly deep pockets even to buy a fractional ownership. But I really find it hard to believe there are absolutely no Heli clubs anywhere. Or any Light plane clubs that happen to have a heli as well. C’est la Vie!