Its incredible how much false information you can get on the newsgroups.
Persons who have never owned and flown a Mini-500 have nothing to offer
but opinion from a extreme distance. It means nothing at all to those
that really need to know. It is also pointless to get an opinion from a
person with an axe to grind or that feels he has been swindled by
someone with more brains than he has or at least the ability to use what
he has more efficiently..
Persons who allow themselves to be indoctrinated by ignoramuses often
become what they learn from. It is very evident in these forums.
My Mini-500 was so easy to operate a caveman (with 20 hours of training)
could do it. The only way to operate a helicopter safely is with in the
design parameters. Then even that is no guarantee but it improves your
safety factor.Very skilled and qualified pilots have operated outside
these parameters and have been injured or killed. Sometimes pilots are
killed by misjudgment or taking an ever so slight chance that they will
be okay. Picking a bad emergency landing site killed two Sacramento
sheriff's officers this month. Had it been a Mini-500 it would surely
have been to blame because the unknowledgeable person would have been
quick to blame it. I guess it boils down to who has more realistic
advise for you, the manufacturer or the newsgroup detractor. A profound
analysis in itself I would think. Think about it, read about it and form
a conclusion based on reason. Or not, its a matter of free agency.

"Clear the area before departure" "Look both ways before crossing the
street" yada yada, or hell just knock on wood!

"B4RT" wrote in message
...
snipped


Despite what you may read below. This is a dnagerous machine.
So unless you have 1000+ hours or rotorcraft time and know enough
to know why youd want to put yourself in peril, take you money and
invest it in training in a non-experimental helicopter.

Bart