Well here is my buddy's H-250 MK II converted to the 295 in 1966 based in Minnesota, a real gem to fly

Those Lycoming GO-480's are not what everyone thinks.......more on this later

N800TH, was the airplane a Helio H-800, they suck way too much gas

22 GPH is the norm at any power setting

Any way you slice it, they are a cool looking airplane. What's CSTOL? And what's up with those wing tips?

a64pilot wrote:What's CSTOL?

Crap-your-pants Short Take Off and Landing

When Helio started in 1983 with the H-800 James Cox from Cessna's agricultural division had the hair-brained idea of adding "winglets" which did absolutley nothing to enhance wingtip vortice control, what it did was add extra weight, about 40 pounds per tip.....junk!!

That fiberglass laminated main gear is also useless, and not any good for back country rough-field operations, so in any case those Helio's are about 2700 pounds empty, which is far too heavy.......So therefore only 18 airplanes were built, none of which hold any merit to the H-295...

Stephen

"C/STOL" is defined as controlled short take-off and landing, and the Helio is the only certified airplane with these features

Here, the real Helio SUV, complete with a Garrett TPE-331-6 (840) SHP

38 in. super swamper tires and freight train horns at 140 decibels...

Ya know, the Helio is a cool plane. The one sitting here at BNO just breaks my heart. Turning to a pile one year at a time.

I've seen some cool videos, slat pop out, flaps down, and just hover land. Cool

See ya, Bub

Post some pics of the old girl and maybe I'll resurrect her, there is no such thing as a dead Helio

See ya!!

Stephen

Here is the video of the Helio Aircraft Co. you speak of

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4584011710

shorton wrote:There has been one in use on Mt. Mickinly for years, owned by Lowell Thomas [Jr.] I believe.

Hey Shorton,

You're right, and he still has it. I've flown in it with him. It's had a turbo on and off it for the high-altitude work, including about a dozen landings at 14,000'. Currently the turbo is off, and plane and pilot are not working the mountain so much these days. He told me once about killing the battery out in the Tordrillos and it taking six guys all day to manage to hand-prop the geared propeller. It is a beautiful plane, but while you're asking about the insurance, you might want to ask about parts and labor also. i.e., if you even have to ask, you might want to reconsider.

One of the handling characteristics it is known for is the forward gear and the long fuselage making it less forgiving if you try to bring it in sideways. But as far as the STOL, it's all you've heard and then some. (Of course, I've only seen it operated in the hands of a true master.)

I have spoken with Lowell many times, especially back in 1988 when we were just about to acquire the assets of Helio Aircraft, it was the stock market crash that prevented us from ever achieving that goal, however, that market now has diminished significantly due the cost of avgas and the STOL market in general, and the current owners think they can produce Helio's at a rate of Cessna and Piper, well that my friends will never happen. The Helio is a gourmet airplane so if you build 5 or 6 a year you are doing well, Helio's are in a specialty market and in such will never achieve the production status of the late sixties or early seventies........that being said there are several nice machines out there for sale, but aging aircraft and parts are the primary concerns and that is where the current owners fail to realize the existing market

Movies of Helios and others...

Don't know if you have seen this but I enjoy watching it...

http://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/AirAmerica/FMFM/index.htm

Select the download that's suitable for you..it's a long movie and takes awhile to down load.

You might want to fast forward the talking bit but the shots of Helios, Porters, Caribous and C-46 operating out of some of those strips in Laos are amazing...

Website is interesting too.

Those gentlemen did a great job...

I've always thought the Helio Courier looked like the way a kid would draw an airplane. (meant as a compliment.) No wing struts, and those round windows are the crowning touch.

denalipilot wrote:I've always thought the Helio Courier looked like the way a kid would draw an airplane. (meant as a compliment.) No wing struts, and those round windows are the crowning touch.

"The Ichabod Crane of the Air", but it is a handsome airplane and when viewed on the ground it is meant for serious back country flying, it has that big hershey bar wing and all the weight is on the tail-wheel

Ultra C/STOL is just what it says......

Cheers
Stephen

Speaking of Helio's in Viet Nam here is my friends U-10 operating out of NKP Thailand in 1968-69

That wouldn't be J.R. Thomas is it? I never knew him before 2002 when I worked with him at the test activity, but that sure looks like him.

Here is a link to a promotional video about the Helio courier from 1954. There is some pretty impressive STOL footage in here.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=0

a64pilot wrote:That wouldn't be J.R. Thomas is it? I never knew him before 2002 when I worked with him at the test activity, but that sure looks like him.

That is Dennis Petersen at NKP in 1968-69, just spoke with him and he is coming to our Helio Fly-in May 16-18, 2008 at Oshkosh, WI

So mark your calendar, and PM me if you want additional info

Cheers
Stephen

Scolopax wrote:Here is a link to a promotional video about the Helio courier from 1954. There is some pretty impressive STOL footage in here.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=0

That video is incorrectly identified as 1954, when in fact it was produced about 1959-60 when Helio built the Twin Courier of which only 7 were built. The Stallion came from the airframe of the twin, as some have mis-identified as well, but the footage as you say, is quite extraordinary when at the time no other airplane built has these capabilities........"Helio hover".......and it can be done routinely

Stephen