I got my private single engine VFR in 1976, it cost me a little under $2,000. Using a Cessna 150 ($15 / hr. ). The instructor was $12 / hr. A 172 was $22 / hr. A Ramco champ (Old cloth wing, tail dragger) cost was only $12 / hr. I learn how to fly a T-34 Beechcraft (old Navy trainer, retractable, variable pitch prop, around 220 knots) at $40 / hr. I was 16 at the time just working in a restaurant bussing tables. It took me close to a year to get my VFR.

Great video, just a few things you forgot to mention is that with Robinson, it’s 2200hrs OR 12 years. Meaning you can buy new. Fly 100 hours over 12 years and now your basically brand new helicopter needs a complete overhaul. And that any $60000 R22 will either be timed out or nearly timed out. That said you are right in that it is still the cheapest certified helicopter. Cheers man stay safe

Im so glad i was directed to your channel a few months ago. Enjoy both you and your content. Thanks.

I just found your channel. This is so cool! I appreciate all that you are explaining to us. 🚁

Outstanding vids, watched a few other pilots vids online but watching yours renewed my interest big time 👍

I fly a R22 in Australia and muster cattle with it at a property in the Northern Territory only thing with the Robinson design is in certain circumstances you can cause a negative G mast bump and cut your tail boom off with the main rotor blades a pilot a few years ago did this at the station I work on did this while mustering and didn’t make it

Enjoyed watching video. From one Robinson owner to the other. Be careful and always respect the helicopter. Fly safe and enjoy!

Looks fun! Reminds me a little of flying my ultralight back in the day. Fly safe

Brilliant! Many thanks for sharing this from Edinburgh, UK. 👍🚁

Thanks for sharing! Very interesting!

Looks like fun and it's an expensive venture, totally enjoyable video, thank you!

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to shoot video and still photography from the R22, Hughes 300 and Bell 47. I loved them all, particularly the Bell. But then as a fixed wing pilot I’m enamored with anything that flies, regardless of whether the wings are fixed or spin. What types of commercial work do you do?

About to use my GI BILL. Thank you for making this. This is the chopper I want buy first also. Great video

I know nothing about helicopters and you couldn't pay me to ever fly in one but the engineering to make one fly is amazing and your presentation was to the point and gave me a great appreciation on the subject, thanks !!

New Sub! I took a Ride in a R22 years ago. SUPER FUN and COOL! And it ain't cheap....

"I'm on an island surrounded by water" Isn't that kinda the definition of an island? 😆

So... at current prices for trucks, cars, SUV's... the 60k-100k range is normal/reasonable. Then maintenance,cost per ownership year... VERY reasonable especially if you're getting work returns commercially or even privately. Thanks for the share!

One such thing interesting to make a note “view” . Glad you got one for yourself & Appreciate your work to inspire to have one though.God bless you 😇🙏🏻

Amazing video matt would love to see more videos from you

been here since 10k im pretty sure. love the videos man

Easily get there on that particular sandbar with a Supercub and many other airplanes. That being said, I appreciate your video. I'm interested in adding a rotorwing aircraft and license to my fleet and certificates.

This is a great video. No BS.

First, I love watching your videos. Hamburger in a helicopter. Retiring school resource officer... in a helicopter. Cruising for a bruising... in a helicopter. Pretty cool. Depending on where you are, time-building can be challenging. Often a lifestyle change (that means "pack your stuff up and move") is more economical and easier than purchasing a helicopter. But hey. I love your videos. They remind me of a dream I once had. Keep living the dream! Ehud FAA Commercial pilot - rotorcraft Tucson, Arizona (Yes, in the summer DA is 5000-7000ft)

Thanks for the insights! I’m not looking to buy one 😂 but still interesting to know!😊

Great video - thank you!

You could also get there with a STOL aircraft and paramotors, both of which are cheaper.

What type of job do you have to pay for all this?

Just love the sound of those rotor blades...!!!!!

Good video! Keep up the work

Very useful video , when people need videos on how to afford food or health care

How do you move the helicopter to the hanger?. I assume you can't just lift it.

My sister worked at Robinson in Torrance for years. Some of the testing they did was crazy for the FAA

Just for people that would like to know. If you want to get both Privet Pilot License (PPL) for airplane (Fixed Wing) and Helicopter (Rotor Wing) then get the airplane first because it can help cut combined cost because 20 hours of your fixed wing counts toward your rotor wing.

I wanted to learn here in the uk prices are much higher and not doable for me unless i sold my house and lived in the heli lol. Had a trial lesson though and loved it. But in reality i get my kicks from motorcycles, embt and drone racing and enjoy life. If i ever come into serious money though i know id be getting into a heli.

Nice numbers videos!

We use to use R22 for detailed lidar flights for topography. Now we have drones. Although our drones cost more, better end product using an iPad. Actual flight time was much better though.

What you call “depreciation” is really an hourly estimate of routine maintenance, if I’m not mistaken.

Did you complete your fixed wing first ?

Great video! Do you fly other types?

Nicely done. Thank you!

Don't forget about composite-fx/mosquitos! They are FAA regulated helicopters. Only caveat is that they only seat one person. Cool people, made in Trenton, Florida!

When you land outside your hangar, does it roll or do you have a dolly to move it in?

If I understand your reference to depreciation of $63/hr, do you mean after 2200 hours (the TBO? or airframe useful life?) it costs $138K to go through the bird and zero the time? A little googling I did says you can reman the motor and go through the rest of the bird... replace rotor blades, etc. and keep it airworthy... so is that ~$138K?

how much communication with atc do you need if you take off from your house and land at some random place like an island like you showed?

do you fear mast bump in this whirlybird?

In Europe and in the UK prices are higher to own one of them. And R22 takes just one passenger so they are great for training but not much for commercial use. Then you need the R44 that costs more. I also considered buying one but I find Porsches more fun still and more usable fun.

short and to the point. i like it

As small as the helicopter is, it's still a lot of money That's a rich man's game. But it looks like a tone of fun.

Thank you for posting and kudos to you for trusting such thin tubing. It obviously works given how many are out there, but as a Bell Medium guy, you'd never convince me to ride in one. Regardless, respect to "one of us"!❤

Getting a helicopter license here in the Netherlands is a minimum of 40k (6 months, 45 h min)

I could absolutely plant my bone stock Cessna 150 on that sand bar lol

This is one of the most interesting and informative video I've seen for a good while. Way, way out of my price range, unfortunately.

Yep....your on an island.....hope you don't break down or have any maintenance issues!

Great video!

Really wanna be a pilot like you 🥺 love from ❤INDIA🇮🇳(HYDERABAD)🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Why didn’t you get your instructors certification to help build hours? That is what I have seen to be the most common path for commercial pilots.

I spent maybe around $80-90,000 getting all of my helicopter ratings up to CFII. I get paid to build my flight time as a flight instructor. There will never be cheaper nor faster way of building flight time in a helicopter. But I have to admit, your method does seem like a ton of fun!

What is the practical flight time / range in miles for this helicopter? How high do you fly in this helicopter?

How do they know you got more time flying do you record yourself every time?

There is a counter rotating backpack harness style helicopter ultralight that varies the speed of one or the other rotor to vector control steering without a tail-rotor, like some RC toys. I remember an electric model from Japan that was $6000, but could only fly for about 5 minutes before juicing the battery pack, known as a short hop device. Furthermore, electric car shaped quad rotor like Ehang 184, but kits, using commercial drone motors on all 4 corners like wheels on a car, varying the speed of the motors to control lift and vector steering, pitch, yaw and roll. Look up DIY personal flight devices or DIY flying machines.

"I'm on an island that's surrounded by.... water" Yep, that's an island! :)

Do you fly or have flown helicopter tours at the lake of the ozarks? Im pretty sure you were my pilot years ago. I remember the pilot saying he was from st louis or st charles and came down to pilot at the lake

Keep up the great work i love your videos

Can u do a video how to start up the helicopter and how to take off and land it too

Private pilot with about ~80ish hours in Robinsons (mix of 22 and 44 but mostly 22 time). Thanks for the breakdown, looks more or less close to what I have been seeing here in NC. Rather than going with a 22 I am considering buying a 44 and renting it to our school so it makes some money while I am not flying it and it doubles as a time builder for when I am. I love flying the 22, it's what I usually fly due to how cheap it is per hour compared to the 44 but I would love to buy a used 44 and see if I can get to 1000 hours with it without breaking the bank. How many hours do you have left on that R22 before it needs a major overhaul? Just curious. It's a sweet bird and looks in mint condition. Cheers from Raleigh, NC!

Can you put a parachute on it?

did not realize how expensive insurance was, how often do you have to renew your license, is it yearly?

I owned one of the early R22s when they cost $90k plus and you flew it home from California. Insurance was $10k per year with a $10k deductible. I learned in a Bell47d, a very stable platform. The R22 is much harder to fly and much harder to do autorotations in. Little boys, little toys. It was fun when I was doing it but you aren’t going far in an R22. Nice video.

Small experimental home built airplanes cost around $20K for the kit, engine, and under FAR103 no pilots license or sports license required, but the aircraft weight limit of 254lbs, which means very thin aluminum, fabric coated, or very thin pre-preg carbon in Teflon vacuum bags on molds into a large enough pressure cooker *autoclave* // thankfully some of the kits supply nearly everything that bolts together like an erecter set, nuts and bolts with cotter pins safety so they don't unscrew and come undone causing parts to disconnect midflight. Fokker Mark VIII kit less than $8000 with everything needed. 1 seater, so a sky toy, but that is the cheapest thing I can find other than a used paramotor.

Way cheaper then I was expecting, I thought training costed way more. I’m looking to get my private airplane licence for fun, in Canada

I fly fixed-wing out of your airport. Cool videos!

Never owned a 'copter but owned a Cessna Cardinal RG and can confidently say that whatever you think an airplane will cost, it is more.

How about the Hughes 269 or Schweizer 300, those seem smaller than the R22.

Everything you need to get a pizza or see a movie! 😂

Thankyou for the video. I am more interested on how to get the turbine certification process. Plus, is there any difference in certification for a single turbine engine (R66) v/s a twin Turbine engine (Bell 429)and others like them.

Disconnect the Hobbs meter to save on depreciation…use Chevron high octane gas at $3.50 gallon…

"Only a helicopter can land here" Mike patey takes note and accepts the challenge lol

I have a question, if I owned a huge chunk of land, could I buy a helicopter and don't get a license as long as I don't leave my property?

The R22 and R44 have documented issues with delamination of the rotors. What is your opinion/thoughts on that?

I fly a tiny Cessna fixed wing. when I was a kid, I dreamed of flying a Helicopter, but as an adult, vortex ring state scares the hell out of me.

Excellent video. Thanks

I am just a private pilot fixed wing. Cessna 150 then 172 currently 182 . I would more than likely kill myself in a helicopter, they are too unforgiving when mistakes are made. But my hats off to you and your Helicopter fly high Sir

Without getting too personal, are you independently wealthy? I'm 50 and recently took a check ride in a 22. I was planning on doing the same.thing and getting my private pilots license. It was fun and I would love to do it and could justify the costof getting my license, but I'm prob too old to try it to make a career out of it and the cost Is prohibitive to get the recommended hours before any company would hire you. You have youth on your side.... .My son wants to fly helos, so he is going to go to college thru ROTC and try to go thru Army Avation route. Good luck and happy flying. At least we can live vicariously thru you😅

If you have a ppl for plane is helicopter something I can add like an endorsement or rating ?

Hey my man don’t forget about sea planes. They can get there also 😂

Do you fly professionally for work? Or how did you manage to afford lessons? I'm thinking of getting my PPL but want to start with planes first

I like how you said you could explain the price range being almost $300k then never did lol.

No interest in helicopters but this was really interesting, safe flying / hovering 😊

Why is less anti torque input needed, when a helicopter achieves translational lift?

How much money does it cost to be trained as an helicopter pilot please.

So i have a question….. what do you do when your Airframe reaches 12k hours? Which for most trainers that are in the market is where your under 100k price point is….. Also you forgot to mention that you have to go to Robbinson to train before you can own one….. which is pretty standard. Also your forgetting your biggest cost which is to insure you and it……. Great video but that’s a big expense not to mention, also I believe for you to even be insurable , you have to have X number of hours in type. Which you can do in training but still at 489 dollars an hour wet….. what r we doing?

Robinsons always have "surprise" costs.

Yeah, this was my starter helicopter to get my private license too. It's a handful.

Kobe pilot learned how to fly on the R22

Great video thanks bro

Honestly inshurance is deal breaker. But assuming that all of inshurances all together went sky rocketing then hopefully prices will went down a bit. Other that is actually not expensive if you can buy yourself a nice piece up until 100k

Thank you 🙏 great 👍 flying video 🎥specially ☝️price 🚁🚁👏👏👏👍🎥☮️👋

You could also land and take off there in a bush plane😉

What is its range?

@2:46 i do this for my cars too. Like i could buy car X, but it will cost me 0.60$/mi vs another car that is at 0.05$/mi