Helio Courier vs Something Else

Howdy!

I think the Helio Courier is just about the best back country airplane I've ever heard of but there are so few of them and the company seems to be taking it's sweet time getting them back into production. Is there anything out there that even compares to the Courier's specs and performance?

Please don't suggest a 206 or a Piper Cub. These are fine planes but the 206 can't even have a dream about going into the places that a Helio can and the Cub can't haul as much.

Any ideas?

Roll your own.

http://www.bearhawkaircraft.com/
http://www.sherpaaircraft.com/intro.html

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 18:53:22 +0100, Fisherman wrote:

Howdy!

I think the Helio Courier is just about the best back country airplane
I've ever heard of but there are so few of them and the company seems
to be taking it's sweet time getting them back into production. Is
there anything out there that even compares to the Courier's specs and
performance?

Please don't suggest a 206 or a Piper Cub. These are fine planes but
the 206 can't even have a dream about going into the places that a
Helio can and the Cub can't haul as much.

Any ideas?

The Cessna 180 or 185 would be the closest competition.

I bought a Courier last year for that reason... nothing comes close except
perhaps a Porter at 5x the price. Helios are few but they are fairly well
supported by numerous individuals. I think that there are a couple hundred
flying in the US. I doubt that the Courier will ever go back into
production. I would be very expensive to build with slats, fowler flaps,
spoilers ect. It would probably cost more to build than any current
production single. It basically employs all the tricks for slow flight.

One thing that you can't see from the numbers and is probably the most
important attribute of the Courier is controllability. Since the
stabilator is too small to stall the wing and you have positive roll control
with spoilers at any speed, you can fly the Courier right at the limit
without getting bitten. Naturally there are ways to screw things up, but
there are a lot fewer with a Courier than with competing airplanes.

I hope to revcieve my Murphy Moose this week and it will outperform just
about anything except the Courier for backcountry flying.

Keep in mind that there are numerous airplanes that can fly into just about
any strip in the US. The backcountry airstrips here in ID are almost all
suitable for airplanes like the C185, having the Courier just makes it
easier and that much more comfortable. Of course, it is pretty cool to be
able to stop *on* the numbers at paved airports too.

Mike
MU-2
H295 Helio Courier.

"Fisherman" wrote in message
...

Howdy!

I think the Helio Courier is just about the best back country airplane
I've ever heard of but there are so few of them and the company seems
to be taking it's sweet time getting them back into production. Is
there anything out there that even compares to the Courier's specs and
performance?

Please don't suggest a 206 or a Piper Cub. These are fine planes but
the 206 can't even have a dream about going into the places that a
Helio can and the Cub can't haul as much.

Any ideas?


--
Fisherman

Originally Posted by Mike Rapoport

I bought a Courier last year for that reason... nothing comes close except perhaps a Porter at 5x the price. Helios are few but they are fairly well supported by numerous individuals. I think that there are a couple hundred flying in the US. I doubt that the Courier will ever go back into
production. I would be very expensive to build with slats, fowler flaps, spoilers ect. It would probably cost more to build than any current production single. It basically employs all the tricks for slow flight.

One thing that you can't see from the numbers and is probably the most
important attribute of the Courier is controllability. Since the
stabilator is too small to stall the wing and you have positive roll control
with spoilers at any speed, you can fly the Courier right at the limit
without getting bitten. Naturally there are ways to screw things up, but
there are a lot fewer with a Courier than with competing airplanes.

I hope to revcieve my Murphy Moose this week and it will outperform just
about anything except the Courier for backcountry flying.

Keep in mind that there are numerous airplanes that can fly into just about
any strip in the US. The backcountry airstrips here in ID are almost all
suitable for airplanes like the C185, having the Courier just makes it
easier and that much more comfortable. Of course, it is pretty cool to be
able to stop *on* the numbers at paved airports too.

Mike
MU-2
H295 Helio Courier.

They say they will produce them again but maybe they won't. It would be too bad if they didn't. It's a great airplane.

I've been looking at the Moose too and I like it but want a certified aircraft and not a homebuilt. Aren't there restrictions on homebuilts in certain airspace?

Yep, there are.
The Morane Saulnier Rallye series, now made by PZL in Poland.
check www.flyrallye.com
Altough is think the rallyes are a bit slower. :-(

-Kees
MS880B Rallye

wrote in
oups.com:

Yep, there are.
The Morane Saulnier Rallye series, now made by PZL in Poland.
check www.flyrallye.com
Altough is think the rallyes are a bit slower. :-(

-Kees
MS880B Rallye



The heavy airframe Rallye's are a bit faster (Minerva or MS894, with
the Franklin 220 engine and the Rallye 235C (taildragger) or 235E
(tricycle), both with the Lycoming O-540-B4B5). The 235's climb like
homesick angels. And being able to fly with the canopy open is great in
hot weather, although at Furnace Creek last year in July, at 53C (127F),
even that didn't help.

---
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

Thanks for rubbing it in ;-)

-Kees

Thanks for rubbing it in ;-)

-Kees

How about a Maule?
Michelle ( Happy owner)

Fisherman wrote:

Howdy!

I think the Helio Courier is just about the best back country airplane
I've ever heard of but there are so few of them and the company seems
to be taking it's sweet time getting them back into production. Is
there anything out there that even compares to the Courier's specs and
performance?

Please don't suggest a 206 or a Piper Cub. These are fine planes but
the 206 can't even have a dream about going into the places that a
Helio can and the Cub can't haul as much.

Any ideas?