Anyone fly quadcopters?

[skprd13]

Aloha members,
Thinking about possibly starting up an aerial photography business and wondering if anyone has any input on which quad copters to purchase for this work. I do have my RC airplane license so I know a little about flying. Since I work construction I thought I could make some $$'s taking aerial shots of the job site rather than hiring a copter (at $400.00/month) to video the job (full size copter). I have read some good reviews for DJI and also Onlyflyingmachines. Onlyflyingmachines are definitely more pricey. I would appreciate any input from you guys.
Mahalo from Kauai,
Tom

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by skprd13

Aloha members,
Thinking about possibly starting up an aerial photography business and wondering if anyone has any input on which quad copters to purchase for this work. I do have my RC airplane license so I know a little about flying. Since I work construction I thought I could make some $$'s taking aerial shots of the job site rather than hiring a copter (at $400.00/month) to video the job (full size copter). I have read some good reviews for DJI and also Onlyflyingmachines. Onlyflyingmachines are definitely more pricey. I would appreciate any input from you guys.
Mahalo from Kauai,
Tom

For $400/month I would stick with fullsize copter, can't beat that price.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by skprd13

Aloha members,
Thinking about possibly starting up an aerial photography business and wondering if anyone has any input on which quad copters to purchase for this work. I do have my RC airplane license so I know a little about flying. Since I work construction I thought I could make some $$'s taking aerial shots of the job site rather than hiring a copter (at $400.00/month) to video the job (full size copter). I have read some good reviews for DJI and also Onlyflyingmachines. Onlyflyingmachines are definitely more pricey. I would appreciate any input from you guys.
Mahalo from Kauai,
Tom

Helicopter at 400 usd a month . . .

So I guess you are talking about a Robinson 22 for 1.5 hours a month

HAGOne

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Helicopter at 400 usd a month . . .

So I guess you are talking about a Robinson 22 for 1.5 hours a month

HAGOne

Nobody in his right mind goes up in a Rob 22.

3 seconds reaction time is a little too fast for me.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Nobody in his right mind goes up in a Rob 22.

I don't

Rather go in the R44 but only if I need to

Actually I prefer the AS355

But I am used to flying some bigger toys as well like the MD 600 and MD 900 NOTAR and the S76 ;)

HAGOne buddy

[Runnin' Rebel]

My first flight lesson was in Hughes 300, those R-22 had like 2 rotors, no thanks. And in this heat, forget it.

[Jocke]

I have a Blade 350QX, Walkera G-2D Gimble and a GoPro Hero 3+ Black. I have not try it out yet but I will try to do a test drive this week.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Jocke

I have a Blade 350QX, Walkera G-2D Gimble and a GoPro Hero 3+ Black. I have not try it out yet but I will try to do a test drive this week.

Don't forget your helmet.

[Travelair007]

Pretty sure he meant $400/hr.

R22 or 44.... No thank you! I'd give it a go in a King 90. That's be lots of fun.... :D

[mjclark32]

Phantom 2 with gimble and go pro, I'll find some pics we've taken with it.
Batteries last about 20 minutes, have 3 of them.

[Keith1]

Originally Posted by MonBK

Nobody in his right mind goes up in a Rob 22.

3 seconds reaction time is a little too fast for me.

Also the piston engine!

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Keith1

Also the piston engine!

It's a no go for me

A R44 is somewhat better at least if we are talking when flying with just 2 people on board but still . . .

HAGOne

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by flagada2009

Pretty sure he meant $400/hr.

R22 or 44.... No thank you! I'd give it a go in a King 90. That's be lots of fun.... :D

I also prefer 2 Pratt & Withney engines . . . . like the -135 series ;)

Even a B100 with Garrett . . .

HAGOne

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

My first flight lesson was in Hughes 300, those R-22 had like 2 rotors, no thanks. And in this heat, forget it.

We operated a H300 years ago in our flight school

It's somewhat better but still . . .

A good friend of mine - instructor with 15K+ hours on helicopters - had a crash in a H300 a few months ago on Belgium

They where doing auto rotations and something went wrong . . .

He didn't survived the crash . . .

The pilot who was doing his check ride made it

So you see even with all that experience . . . :(

HAGOne

[Runnin' Rebel]

My first fixed wing training was in a Piper Tomahawk. The next day my instructor was flying over the mountains west of Las Vegas with another student during the winter and they weren't found for 8 months after the snow melted. I never trained again in a fixed wing after my first lesson.

I do love helicopters though, as a matter of fact I was on my way to the Army as flight student and had a heart issue and couldn't continue.

My father had a flame out in a F-86 in the early 60's and crashed in the Arizona desert and was picked up by some guy driving along a Tucson Highway.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

My first fixed wing training was in a Piper Tomahawk. The next day my instructor was flying over the mountains west of Las Vegas with another student during the winter and they weren't found for 8 months after the snow melted. I never trained again in a fixed wing after my first lesson.

I do love helicopters though, as a matter of fact I was on my way to the Army as flight student and had a heart issue and couldn't continue.

My father had a flame out in a F-86 in the early 60's and crashed in the Arizona desert and was picked up by some guy driving along a Tucson Highway.

I did a lot of stalls and spins - with the approved reinforced tail on the PA-38 - and I can tell you it is really something else than in a 152 or 172

Lost a friend due to an instructor who never did spins in a Tomahawk and started at 2200 ft agl with full flaps . . .

I believe the flight manual says 4500 or 5000 ft agl . . .

Here you can see how fast it spins and this is without full flaps

Than it goes slightly inverted as well

Piper tomahawk spin:

http://youtu.be/L1RZDCMO1gk

Now maybe they ran into bad weather . . can be a thousand reasons why they didn't make it to an airport . . .

But . . . many happy landings ;)

BTW great of your Dad !

[Runnin' Rebel]

The great guy was the one who packed his parachute for that flight

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

The great guy was the one who packed his parachute for that flight

If you do aerobatics you should use one

I did when doing aerobatics in the PC-6,Yak 52 and SV-4 . . .

Safety first !

[bearone2]

Originally Posted by Kingair

It's a no go for me

A R44 is somewhat better at least if we are talking when flying with just 2 people on board but still . . .

HAGOne

misinformation.....

i flew tours on maui for 9 years in an astar & one operator was doing the same tour i was, going to 10k with 4 pax in an r-44.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by bearone2

misinformation.....

i flew tours on maui for 9 years in an astar & one operator was doing the same tour i was, going to 10k with 4 pax in an r-44.

I am not saying it is not capable of doing it . . . since it has almost the capilabilities of a Jet Ranger

But I prefer a turbine

I have seen enough H300 and R22/44 somewhere landed in a field due to . .

But the prefer the AS350 or 355

That a helicopter ;)

Take care

[Runnin' Rebel]

We use to have a Alouette as a medical transport, I loved the sound of that when it started up. The turbine was just awesome sounding, and if I remember the turbine wasn't really covered, it was in your face.

[bearone2]

i flew an alouette3 in ems in phoenix in '82-83....quite a ride.

i believe it's cousin, the lama, still holds the single eng altitude record of 40k.

[VICI]

Looking to get a DJ Phantom 2 - there should be a new model around mid Sept/Oct

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

We use to have a Alouette as a medical transport, I loved the sound of that when it started up. The turbine was just awesome sounding, and if I remember the turbine wasn't really covered, it was in your face.

Originally Posted by bearone2

i flew an alouette3 in ems in phoenix in '82-83....quite a ride.

i believe it's cousin, the lama, still holds the single eng altitude record of 40k.

We used the Alouette II

The Lama was a great mod

And you are correct it did hold the world record for many years but the new one is 42500 ft - correct me if I am wrong

http://www.thisdayinaviation.com/21-june-1972/

Still find it a great helicopter

Navy used the III

Take care buddies

[bearone2]

21 June 1972: Aérospatiale Chief Test Pilot Jean Boulet set a Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Absolute World Record for helicopters by flying the first Aérospatiale SA 315 Lama, serial number 315-001, to an altitude of 12,442 meters (40,820 feet) from Aérodrome d’Istres, northwest of Marseille, France.

you too

[Kingair]

Guess this gentlemen has the record

http://www.fred-north.com/?page_id=338

[bearone2]

so it does...that's quite an article, thanks for posting.

[landroverking]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

My first fixed wing training was in a Piper Tomahawk. The next day my instructor was flying over the mountains west of Las Vegas with another student during the winter and they weren't found for 8 months after the snow melted. I never trained again in a fixed wing after my first lesson.

I do love helicopters though, as a matter of fact I was on my way to the Army as flight student and had a heart issue and couldn't continue.

My father had a flame out in a F-86 in the early 60's and crashed in the Arizona desert and was picked up by some guy driving along a Tucson Highway.

Years ago I had a CFI tell stay out of tomahawks.
I did training in a Gruman Tiger. IFR in a 177 RG. And in a 210.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by landroverking

Years ago I had a CFI tell stay out of tomahawks.
I did training in a Gruman Tiger. IFR in a 177 RG. And in a 210.

They call the PA-38 several names

Trauma hawk

Terror hawk

Did over 250 hours in a Tomahawk . . . just stay in the enveloppe

Train a lot on spins with this bird and you are ok

[Runnin' Rebel]

I always like the 210. My father had a P-210 after he retired from the Air Force out of Andrews AFB. He was Squadron Commander, 89th Military Airlift Group which flew special air missions and provided comms and logistics for the President, VP and some other government big wigs.

He liked flying the Sabreliner, I think it was called a T-39? I thought it was the ugliest jet flying. lol

Wayne Newton had a Jetstar here at LAS, that was really nasty had 4 turbo jets on this small plane. I think it was repossessed.

James Bond flew a Jetstar in one of the movies I think

My dad disliked helicopters, I don't know why I gravitated to them. He would just shake his head when I talked about flying those things without wings. But he liked my GMT coke

RIP DAD !!

Sorry to hijack the thread