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Helio Courier

The Helio will go in and out the same spots with the same load from the ones I have been in. (talking wheels)

Loaded they are slightly better than a tricked out 180 with a good pilot.

Cubs are easier to push by hand, but what a load you can carry in the Helio!!!!
 
If nothing else, the density altitude will get the Helio compared with the Cub, but of course, I'm only talking about my own flying experience in them. :wink:



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Special purpose aircraft suitable only for special purposes. It is true they will carry a pretty good load, but I am not so sure they can do it legally. For sheer economical fun, the Cub is the better airplane.
 
what is the chance of the helio getting broken in the bush and be able to fix good enough to fly to where you could have a parts and the equipment to fix it properly??
 
That depends pretty much on the extent of the damage done to the aircraft and the experience of the pilot(both flying and mechanical) ferrying the plane out.

I know some pretty badly wounded birds flown out of the bush for the repair stations, but I'm not sure if any of those Helio pilots are around anymore, who were knowledgeable and skillful enough to do it.
 
A helio with the 2 blade prop will fly at 28mph stock legal airplane. How many legal cubs will do that?? Apples and oranges.
 
I have owned a few Helio's over the years.

for 8 years In my guiding operation I worked a light H-295 Helio and 2 PA/18 cubs at the same time.

There were places on both wheels and floats that I would take my PA/18's that I would not take my H-295 Helio.

I love the Helio and it is a fantastic plane that will get in and out of places that I could never think of taking my Cessna C-180 or C-185. The Helio will carry a C-206 load and only needs a little more room than a PA/18.

Ron Sutphin taught me to fly the Helio and was the best Helio pilot that I have ever met. Ron owned PA/18's and Helio's. He told me yaers ago that the Helio would not replace my PA/18 for the very short places I had to go.

Jerry Jacques
Alaska Master Guide #110
 
if you where hauling big loads out of small strips what would you prefer helio or cub? and does anybody know what a turbine courier vs cub would be like?
 
cstolaircraft said:
if you where hauling big loads out of small strips what would you prefer helio or cub? and does anybody know what a turbine courier vs cub would be like?

Why not a Kodiak? 3,100 lb useful load, 760 ft ground roll! Pretty cool plane. funseventy on this site was one of their test pilots.

Eric
 
Still not much experience at the Helio, although triple the amount I had in my last post.

Here's one - in very general terms: Suppose you pull the gear off a Helio (140lbs or so) and add a set of amphibs (say, 750 lbs). You have lost the equivalent of being able to haul three big passengers. How much load carrying capabilty would you guess you have left?

And what happens when you do the same thing to a Cessna 206?

Not a test - I am still working on the answer.
 
Speedo said:
cstolaircraft said:
if you where hauling big loads out of small strips what would you prefer helio or cub? and does anybody know what a turbine courier vs cub would be like?

Why not a Kodiak? 3,100 lb useful load, 760 ft ground roll! Pretty cool plane. funseventy on this site was one of their test pilots.

Eric
Well to much $$$. If I had that choice, it would be a sherpa k650t with 3000 lb useful load and ( I think) about 400 ft ground roll!! Kodiak is still neat plane though
 
bob turner said:
Still not much experience at the Helio, although triple the amount I had in my last post.

Here's one - in very general terms: Suppose you pull the gear off a Helio (140lbs or so) and add a set of amphibs (say, 750 lbs). You have lost the equivalent of being able to haul three big passengers. How much load carrying capabilty would you guess you have left?

And what happens when you do the same thing to a Cessna 206?

Not a test - I am still working on the answer.

What is anther good site for posting things like this??
 
Then come back here and report. I have found that this site is the most definitive source for STOL and taildragger info. I have a Super Decathlon, and if I needed info I would ask here first.

I am in the process of memorizing the JAARS manual. They seem to be a highly professional outfit. I am actually surprised at how much I am learning on my third time through the manual, after maybe ten hours in the pattern.
 
I tried flyhelio.com today and have not got anything. Just posted this morning though and with only 15 members it'll take awhile probably.

Bob, good luck with your Manuel project. tell me how long it takes I might try it.
 
We have posted a response @ www.flyhelio.com

As someone else said you are comparing Apples to Oranges here..

The Helio was developed for off-airport use from it's conception, and Dr. Otto Koppen designed it as an "experiment" developed from a Piper Vagabond PA-17. So, with that being said my first experience with the Helio came about in 1965 being introduced to the model H-250 MK II (Lycoming O-540-A1A5 250 HP) these were developed for export to South America in early 1965 burning 80 octane avgas. They are light, and use short-fields unprepared and that's about it. Cruise is 108 KTS at any given time, 3400 pounds gross. Above 7500 feet they are dogs, especially if heavy!! Now comes the H-295 Super Courier (Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 295 HP) used in T-Bones and Aero Commander 560's if you know about geared Lyc. operations you are good to go. The 295 is on par with the 206 load-wise, but far more rugged. If you were to convert the 295 to the RR/Allison 250 (420 HP) you have a very solid machine with incredible performance at a cost!!.. The Kodiak is no where near a STOL airplane, load it up and you'll see what we mean. The Super Cub is far less expensive and quite capable. The bottom line here is that what you need can be valued in your requirements!!
 
The second part to your inquiry would be the Helio Stallion and there are only two flying world-wide, the remaining fleet (AU-24A) is in India or China somewhere. The Stallion is a "hot rod" for STOL airplanes, get it slow, and it's like trying to fly a football from the top, very unsuspecting, high angle of attack values make it quite unstable with the airspeed around 38 KTS. The AOA deck angle is somewhere around 30 degrees, don't go there!!

We are not sure of the status for factory support anymore, it seems for now that this is non-existent. In any case, should use choose to make the Helio a part of your fleet, do your research and by all means know what you are getting into, they can be workhorses but at an expense..
 
That was the decision of his supervisors. I concur, but when you have 5 pilots to train @ $150.00 an hour for a sum of 100 hours each the costs add up quickly, so that is why you have the Tri-Gear!!
 
Cub junkie said:
Sorry, Helio's with tri-gear are just wrong.

Well, this may better suit you, and I could not agree more, but that's the way it goes for some operators and this just happens to be Pima County Sheriff's Helio one of two tri-gears..

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On firm surfaces a tricycle has some advantages. It's about getting the job done, isn't it?

SB
 
Yes the trike has some advantages in some cases. Just an unsolicited opinion. I grew up about 50 miles from the Helio factory in the '60's and saw them all the time being tested. The tri gear picture makes that thing look like a giant Zenith CH 701.
 
Alcor Engineering did the original mod to a 1200 series 295 in 1968 with the mains from a C-185 and the nose-wheel from a 310. Helio started building them in the 70's as 1700 series at Pittsburgh, KS. They thought it would cater to the non-tailwheel, pavement type pilot wanting a specialty STOL airplane..

The Helio is far better looking than the CH 701
 
With the removal of the tailwheel allowing the tail to drop lower, the mains being back moving the fulcrum back, (now we have a higher AOA at take-off), and the more efficient initial thrustline from the tricycle's stance, I'd imagine the trike Helio would operate shorter than the conventional model, particularly when light and using pavement for the demonstration. It looks like fun. Push the throttle in and pull the yoke to your chest. Wallow off in ground effect. I kinda miss trikes sometimes.

Stewart
 
Stewart, here we have the 1700 series in the same configuration. The H-295 has ten degrees more travel than the H800/700 airplanes, this was done to increase gross weight as well as CG moment..The factory left the belly pan in for tri-gear versions but never built them from 1983-84, hence the high empty weight. Some U-10D's have the 3600 pound gross weight while most are stuck at 3400 pounds, the factory it seems never drop tested the airplane.. This photo clearly shows the increased AOA numbers, note the departure area!!!

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