I’m glad to see you’re keeping this helicopter alive in CZcams! Great information. Can’t wait to start building one. Definitely would go with the LS option.
Vertical Aviation sells the Lycoming Fuel Injected IO-540 for the kit now. It's listed as being "320 H.P. DERATED TO 280 H.P." So, I'm all about this helicopter.
I have been discussing it with the wife as out first grand kid was born this year and the 4 hour drive could be a 50 min Helicopter trip!! We are looking at several but seems the Hummingbird is the best option
You can ground taki with skids. Either way wheels or skids you have to be careful for different reasons.. Skids don't roll as smoothly and wheels wont roll sideways so attention must be paid as not to roll it. With both you still need to power off away from obstacles and push or pull the rest of the way as you dont want 5he rotor to make contact with anything. I love the videos anc look forward to the next.
@@RelativeMotionCC yes its not very practical because beyond feeling like damaging the taxiway (although no worse than taildraggers with skids) you still need to be careful when sliding about and can only get so close anyway due to the rotor. I think ground taxi is mostly done when trying to minimize rotor wash to other aircraft and can really only be done on smooth paved taxiway as a hover taxi would be done during landing. Wheels certainly roll easier but can only roll forward meaning you really need to be careful not to drift sideways (to the best of my knowledge Heli wheels are all locked or at least I've never seen one with free castering not sure how well that would work). After landing the wheels definitely make things easier. I love your videos with the side by side comparisons to similar models. It makes it that much easier to dream and drool over what I hope to be able to afford one day lol.
@@sunshinezoner7275 Haha ok fair enough. You know I had never thought of/seen that before but that makes sense that could be done! Would it do less damage if you were on dirt maybe? or would that be too risky because of the more uneven ground of tipping? Thanks! Glad you like the video!
As long as it wad solid terrain and fairly level dirt would be fine. You just don't want it to be uneven and accidentally catch the end of the skid on something like a large rock and flip it. Or soft or wet ground thank could potentially sink with the weight and force. I'm sure hard dirt would work fine. I love helicos for as much as they can be a pain in the ass they're also wonderful machines.
Thanks for the question! Most turbine conversions are pretty difficult if they haven’t been done before, there usually fairly difficult even with plans/directions … that being said a turbine humming bird would be pretty cool 😎
@@RelativeMotionCC Yeah, the JetExec is top of my wish list, but for all the reasons you mentioned, another row of seats would be even better. Oh well, I can't afford it for a few more years anyway. Maybe by that time there'll be something new available. That HX-50 looks pretty sweet, for example, at least in the renderings. ;-)
Apparently it needs hydrodics to smooth out the shake. When parts are gone, then what ? What's the operating room of that car engine? Time will tell !!!
Found it. Its name is Kasatska 505, still in testing and being developed by AGAN Aircraft, a Russian aerospace company. It has absolutely zero to do with the Hummingbird save for a video I found titled "Hummingbird Helicopter of Russia", or something similar. Also, as for the price, I saw a comment on a random blog that it is indeed an experimental and a kit should cost roughly $138k, can't vouch for the price though. The company has a YT channel where you can find a few videos on it as well as an interesting bush plane they're developing as well.
That is the only helicopter that I've ridden in that made me nauseous. Two different rides produced the same nauseousness after about 20 min. I've heard some helicopters in Vietnam had a low amplitude vibration that produced nausea in highly experienced pilots.
I find this strange Stu. You wrote such a good article about flying in it at Sun & Fun. In fact all week long you showed up every morning to ride along in the parade fly by.
@@bradclark1164 Brad: You must be thinking of someone else. I only rode in it twice. Once before I wrote the article and a second time at sun'n fun. Both times I got nauseous. As I said there were some limited reports of similar experiences on just a few helicopters in Viet Nam. Apparently, I'm sensitive to some vibrations that I don't know are there.
Mechanic here, not sure if it was just for a visual of performance if so ignore this if not, just a heads up the engine with the scoop on top isn't a LS7 or any LS engine. All LS motors have a coil pack design and none of them use rotary distributor for ignition spark.
I’m glad to see you’re keeping this helicopter alive in CZcams! Great information. Can’t wait to start building one. Definitely would go with the LS option.
Vertical Aviation sells the Lycoming Fuel Injected IO-540 for the kit now. It's listed as being "320 H.P. DERATED TO 280 H.P."
So, I'm all about this helicopter.
I have been discussing it with the wife as out first grand kid was born this year and the 4 hour drive could be a 50 min Helicopter trip!!
We are looking at several but seems the Hummingbird is the best option
Cant wait to own one of these hummingbirds!
Wasn't even aware of this helicopter. Thanks for the video.
absolutely want to own one of these
hard same
Definitely want to find and build a hummingbird. For my use I would much rather have an experimental.
You can ground taki with skids. Either way wheels or skids you have to be careful for different reasons.. Skids don't roll as smoothly and wheels wont roll sideways so attention must be paid as not to roll it. With both you still need to power off away from obstacles and push or pull the rest of the way as you dont want 5he rotor to make contact with anything. I love the videos anc look forward to the next.
Are you talking about dragging the skids along the ground?
@@RelativeMotionCC yes its not very practical because beyond feeling like damaging the taxiway (although no worse than taildraggers with skids) you still need to be careful when sliding about and can only get so close anyway due to the rotor. I think ground taxi is mostly done when trying to minimize rotor wash to other aircraft and can really only be done on smooth paved taxiway as a hover taxi would be done during landing. Wheels certainly roll easier but can only roll forward meaning you really need to be careful not to drift sideways (to the best of my knowledge Heli wheels are all locked or at least I've never seen one with free castering not sure how well that would work). After landing the wheels definitely make things easier. I love your videos with the side by side comparisons to similar models. It makes it that much easier to dream and drool over what I hope to be able to afford one day lol.
@@sunshinezoner7275 Haha ok fair enough. You know I had never thought of/seen that before but that makes sense that could be done!
Would it do less damage if you were on dirt maybe? or would that be too risky because of the more uneven ground of tipping?
Thanks! Glad you like the video!
As long as it wad solid terrain and fairly level dirt would be fine. You just don't want it to be uneven and accidentally catch the end of the skid on something like a large rock and flip it. Or soft or wet ground thank could potentially sink with the weight and force. I'm sure hard dirt would work fine. I love helicos for as much as they can be a pain in the ass they're also wonderful machines.
@@sunshinezoner7275 Good points, that makes sense.
They are the ultimate form of transportation!
🇳🇵 what will be the price of this helicopter in Nepal ?
Hey are you Tom Bodette ? Please leave the lights on for me.
Do a series on like fixed wing trainer jets/ mini diy turbine jets
Very interesting
How practical would it be to do a turbine conversion on one of these, like the Rotorway JetExec?
Thanks for the question! Most turbine conversions are pretty difficult if they haven’t been done before, there usually fairly difficult even with plans/directions … that being said a turbine humming bird would be pretty cool 😎
@@RelativeMotionCC Yeah, the JetExec is top of my wish list, but for all the reasons you mentioned, another row of seats would be even better. Oh well, I can't afford it for a few more years anyway. Maybe by that time there'll be something new available. That HX-50 looks pretty sweet, for example, at least in the renderings. ;-)
What’s the model at 0:11
I'd love to see a opposed piston diesel version
A diesel helicopter would be crazy!
@@RelativeMotionCC it would be extremely practical
I could see that! The diesel planes they have I’ve heard good things about
I think BMW should make a helicopter with the B57 vertically mounted, would sell well I think.
The old fitty too
Very nice video.
I would still choose the Robinson R44, hands down over this one...
Apparently it needs hydrodics to smooth out the shake.
When parts are gone, then what ?
What's the operating room of that car engine?
Time will tell !!!
What is that white helicopter shown in the beginning and in the segment about skids vs wheels?
Not only the video but I like the unit even more and I want to get me one before I die Haa. … yea hummingbird
What heli is this at 0:20? Never seen it before. It looks so slick!
Edit: I think its also the same one from 0:11 to about 0:15.
Found it. Its name is Kasatska 505, still in testing and being developed by AGAN Aircraft, a Russian aerospace company. It has absolutely zero to do with the Hummingbird save for a video I found titled "Hummingbird Helicopter of Russia", or something similar. Also, as for the price, I saw a comment on a random blog that it is indeed an experimental and a kit should cost roughly $138k, can't vouch for the price though. The company has a YT channel where you can find a few videos on it as well as an interesting bush plane they're developing as well.
Fun fact : Hummingbird Animals behave like a helicopter so the name was inspired by it
The best piston engine helicopter is obviously the banana copter
That is the only helicopter that I've ridden in that made me nauseous. Two different rides produced the same nauseousness after about 20 min. I've heard some helicopters in Vietnam had a low amplitude vibration that produced nausea in highly experienced pilots.
Interesting 🤔 that’s too bad 🤢 I’ve certainly had my problems with that in the air too 😅
I find this strange Stu. You wrote such a good article about flying in it at Sun & Fun. In fact all week long you showed up every morning to ride along in the parade fly by.
@@bradclark1164 Brad: You must be thinking of someone else. I only rode in it twice. Once before I wrote the article and a second time at sun'n fun. Both times I got nauseous. As I said there were some limited reports of similar experiences on just a few helicopters in Viet Nam. Apparently, I'm sensitive to some vibrations that I don't know are there.
But far from the most attractive.
Horrible and old tecnology
It is old lol got me there
There are modern improved piston engine but everyonè chose not to use it anyway
Mechanic here, not sure if it was just for a visual of performance if so ignore this if not, just a heads up the engine with the scoop on top isn't a LS7 or any LS engine. All LS motors have a coil pack design and none of them use rotary distributor for ignition spark.
That particular helicopter with the engine intake scoop is registered as having a Lycoming VO-435-A1F engine