Owning a personal helicopter can be a rewarding and exciting experience and especially an experimental helicopter which you can build and work on yourself. It's important to have realistic expectations. Here are 10 things to consider prior to buying an experimental helicopter. Make sure you also read the 10 reasons to buy a Rotorway as well....
1. You only want to be a pilot and are just looking for a cheap way to get a
helicopter.
2. You are not mechanically inclined and/or you don't enjoy working on things or
have the patience and you view it as a burden rather than a source of
satisfaction. You expect the construction to be "bolt together tinker toy" like.
3. You expect the experimental helicopter to be the equivalent a certificated
helicopter (e.g. R-22) in design, testing, and construction and don't comprehend
that the components can require replacement more frequently and maintenance is
can be higher and that's one of the reasons it costs less than a certified
aircraft. (You get what you pay for)
4. You haven't taken any helicopter lessons and don't comprehend fully the risks
and challenges of flying helicopters.
5. You intend to use the experimental for commercial purposes and haven't read
the FAA regulations stating that an experimental aircraft cannot be used "for
hire".
6. You must/want to fly over rough or remote country frequently.
7. You haven't studied the specifications enough to comprehend that small
helicopters do not have an excess of power and you can't just "load 'em and go"
and that certain combinations of pilot/passengers and/or landing and taking off
at high altitudes are unsafe/impossible. This is true of all small helicopters.
8. In nearly all cases, life insurance coverage is void when piloting
experimental aircraft requiring you to buy a special policy which will cost
$800-$10000 per year depending on coverage amount and your age.
9. Insurance costs are the same or higher than certified helicopters (e.g.
R-22). Aircraft hull insurance will be required if you take a loan to buy the
aircraft and likely liability insurance.
10. You want to be safe but you are accident prone, have an attitude that "it
won't happen to me" or "I'm superior" and you are not willing or cannot afford
to spend the money to get quality flight training which may save your life (or
someone elses) or save your ship from unnecessary damage.