https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do= ... 1198a62b02

The A600 is on my to-do list. I spoke with them in 2021 at OSH and have been a Rotorway fan for decades, albeit not in a position to buy and build. Now I’m better off and find out they are taking big money and not delivering product. The new engine is in essence, vaporware and the only working prototype was destroyed in the Osh 2023 mid air with a Gyro. On top of that, their employees walked out for not paying wages.

There is a substantial fleet of Talons/A600s and if RotorX tanks, that is extremely bad news for the entire fleet. Nevermind the fact many buyers have $130k on deposit for their kits already.

Sad day if they don’t get a serious investor cash injection.

Shades of Jim Bede

Full disclosure: I sell new helicopters for a living, so take this with a grain of salt.

There are lots of great experimental airplanes out there, and I even own one (RV8). However the words "experimental" and "helicopter" should not be used in the same sentence. With the exception of the Hummingbird (which is based on a certified helicopter) they almost all use very light 2 bladed rotor systems, are underpowered, have little crash structure, etc...

For the price of any of these kits you can buy a nice used Enstrom, Bell 47, or Hughes 300. All of these are good, safe helicopters that are easy to fly and will have enough power to perform adequately in most environments.

If you really want to build something, build an airplane. If you looking to save money, keep in mind that while operating costs might be a little higher on the certified birds, they will likely be fully depreciated so they'll hold their value. You can buy most of the popular kit helicopters completed and flying for less the price of the kit, so these are generally money losing propositions.

I would have to say that this gentleman just gave some really sound advice. No grain of salt needed.

Jg

I wasn’t asking for advise buying an experimental heli. I was simply advising that a well established and reputable kit company is about to be a fully engulfed dumpster fire.