Does anyone have comments about time building in an experimental helicopter such as the XE. Looking at flight training options and was curious what most employers would think about 500hrs in a helicopter such as the XE or XEL. Thx!

Any idea of how much the mosquito with a turbine will cost when that option becomes available? Thanks SamW

What fuel do you use in the Mosquito?

Discovery channel ran a show called "A Chopper is born", where Mark Evans built a Rotoway helicopter .I would love to see you do something like that with the Mosquito .A series from start to finish from the box to the air. A full how to do this could be done on DVD or online.

John,

Have you though of or given any consideration of outsourcing certified Mosquito builders to complete and test the line up for customers in the states in different areas of the states? Maybe have something along the lines of a Mosquito dealer.
Building your own Mosquito would no doubt be a sence of pride and accomplishement, however most folks do not have the time even as a weekend project to build thier helicopter and may get frustrated and give up.
A completed Mosquito I think would promote more sales and if options were offered like training and possibly finnancing the face value factor could play a major roll.
From what I can tell this is a great and safe product and could change the way we look at daily transportation for the lower/middle class population. As well as giving the gift of flight that most of us only dream of.

Thanks.

I just purchased two tiles off the "Helicopter Giveaway" for my son.
(UH 60 Blackhawk pilot).
If you win, you'll never forget THIS birthday!

Good Luck!

Love,
Dad

I finally soloed on Saturday. What a thrill. I have been taking lesons since Janurary about once a week and have about 22 hours at this point. I was thinking of just getting the 10 hours before I got the Mosquito but I think I will continue until I get my licence now. The instrutor had given me my presolo test on Thursday, I belive this is a requirement before you can solo. For the Robinson you also have to watch a video about safety that covers retreating blade stall, mast bumping, and low g pushovers. I knew that I was close to my solo and when I got to the airport I called flight service and found that the winds were going to pickup the rest of the day. My instructor was landing with another student shortly after I arived and told me to preflight the helicopter. I had taken my wife with me because we planned on a short trip up north afterwards but I did get a chance to set her in the helicopter and check it out. I was halfway through my preflight when my instructor returned. I wanted to hurry because of the increasing winds but I took my time and did it right. The instructor removed both doors before we left which is my favorite way to fly. We headed out of Pontiac to the Linden/Price airport for the lesson. As we approached the airport my instructor told me that we would try a couple standard approaches and if everything went perfect that I would be going up by myself. No pressure there. By the time we got there the wind and turbulance was starting to make it rough but I was able to shoot a fairly decent approach and landing. We took off for another lap of the pattern and this landing was a little long but still good. The instructor then had me hover to the grassy area between the runway and the taxiway and do a setdown and pickup in to the wind. Not my best landing but still fairly good. He then had me do a pedal turn so that the wind was comming from the left rear. This was tough with the gusts but the wind held steady long enough for me to not blow the landing. Then he had me pull the copter back in the air and hover making turns until we got to the point that the taxiway turned into the runway. I was told to turn into the wind and set it down on the taxiway. He asked if I was ready and as calm as I could I told him I was. He pulled a handheld radio out from under the seat and told me he would give me directions and I would report back on how things were going. He tried the radio for several minutes and then came back over and said that he couldn't transmit but could hear and that he would just give me hand signals. So out he runs, probably not as far as I would have went but far enough. Then he turns to me and gives me the thumbs up to tell me to pick the heli up. I was told that the chopper would pick up with less manifold pressure without the added weight and that the front of the helicopter would be higher without the weight to push it down. As I started creeping up on the collective the front of the skids raised and I started to slide backwards. I was able to catch the slide with some forward collective and then ease the helicopter into the air. Yee ha, I,m flying. I look up at my instructor and he's motioning for me to hold it steady while he takes some pictures. The helicopter definatly feels different without him in it but I hold it long enough for the pictures. He then motions me to set it down and so I ease it back onto the taxiway. I turn the governor off and drop the rotor to 75% and my instructor comes over and ask me how it felt. I tell him it felt good and so he tells me that I'm going to take it around the pattern one time. Off he goes and I bring the govenor back on and ease the throtttle back to 80% where the govenor takes over. This time I keep a little more forward cyclic and the helicopter comes up nice. As I look at my instructor he's motioning a circle with his hand to tell me to take it around the pattern. I hover over to the runway and anounce my departure for the traffic and my instructor and raise the collective to about 22.5 inches. First thing I notice is much quicker acceleration. The helicopter is also climbing much quicker and I am at 500 ft while just turning on to my downwind leg. I am making lots of position reports and commentaries to my instructor as I make my turns onto base and then final. My approach is a little high and hot to hit the numbers but I have the helicopter in hover by the time I reach the taxiway where my instructor is. Bonus, he motions me to go around again and I annouce my departure. Another smooth pattern but this time I am even farther down the runway. As I rush a right pedal turn onto the taxiway where my instructor is the wind picks up and I'm all over the place. My instuctor is on my left and the taxiway lights are on the right. Two good patterns and now I'm going to blow it. I manage to get it to the corner and settle down a little and then left petal turn into the wind before setting down. Not a great ending but definity a great experience. I can't wait to go flying again tommorrow.

Well, I am a Helicopter Mechanic by trade. I had been for the last 10 years in the US Army working on UH-60 Blackhawks, up until 2004. I do not have a A & P but think I am knowlegable enought to build this thing. Aviation in general is one thing I do not play around with when it comes to Mechanics. Its not like you have a cloud you can park on if you break down. But my question how intimidating is this assembly? Are parts laid out in plain english or do you have to search and compare nuts and bolts. Also how much of the fiberglass shell is finished? Other than a few rivits and mount hardware to install, is it ready for paint? I have never really worked with fiberglass so I would be more scared of messing that up than I would be installing the engine and sub components. Thanks.

Hello everyone! I see alot of action on this site, though I never get anyone in the chat room. I would really like to talk to some of the Mosquito owners about their birds and get a feel for what they are experiencing. I fly the Mini 500, that did not make the market so to speak, and I am very interested in the Mosquito and its future. Anyone want to push some optimism my way ... I would gladly chat. Wick

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