This is a good video about 2 guys trying to resurrect the Helio design. Sounds like they fully intend to get it to the market.

The video doesn’t go into any detail about their backgrounds or funding sources, but it’s evident they are taking it very seriously and setting themselves up with their best chance at success.

https://youtu.be/sVIZsmdudZM?si=tSLLcSBvnwntX04O

Wow, good luck to them. They are obviously very smart, well-rounded guys. Thanks for sharing.

--paul

Very cool. Love the Courier. Bush plane STOL performance, but faster. Perfect for flying to the backcountry without taking all day to get there.

Next up, bring back the Stallion!

They're going about it right - hope against hope for their success.

Then, they can buy the production certificate for the Bonanza.

/fantasy mode.

OK, how about the Meyers 200?

My Dad had a Meyers 200 for 25 years. Flew it all around the US and Mexico. I have hundreds of hours riding in it and about 50 hours PIC. It's a typical Michigan plane, ie built like a brick outhouse. I don't think there's any AD's on the airframe. It is a phenomenal plane, and at the risk uttering blasphemy on a Beech forum....a Bonanza can't touch it.

That being said, putting it back into production is a terrible idea! These airplanes were all hand built, and they are extremely complicated with a steel tube frame and tons of compound curves. There's not a flat piece of metal on the entire plane. Everything is hydraulic, and late 50's technology. I don't remember the numbers but I recall a retired Meyers executive mentioning that they sold for something like $5k or $10k more than a Bonanza and Meyers was losing money on each one.

A few people have talked about modernizing the 200, but alas that has already been done. The chief engineer at Meyers was a guy by the name of Ray Betzolt. Ray had a nephew who was pretty clever and keen on aviation. His name was Lance and he grew up running around the factory. Lance Niebauer later went on to design the Lancair series of kitplanes, which eventually evolved into the Columbia series of certified aircraft, unceremoniously bought by Cessna only to be mothballed when they failed to out market Cirrus.

Just because a plane is cool or performs well doesn't mean it will be a success in the market. That's only one factor, and certainly not the biggest one. I hope the Helio guys don't find that out the hard way.

I flew a Helio Courier in PNG briefly. Funky machine and I wish them the best of luck.

Having said that they are not an easy to fly taildragger. If memory serves they had a max crosswind of 7kts and max flap landings could be a tad exciting. I enjoyed the challenge of flying it but a C185 was easier day to day in the bush….except for loading/unloading.

I accept with proper training my transition to the Helio might have been easier…as it was my total ‘instruction’ was a phone call to a mate who had flown this particular aircraft many years before…and there was no POH available

I trained the next guy so he didn’t have to learn the aircraft by the ‘wow that’s interesting’ method.

I’d love to see this happen! I need to go help them from June to mid September!

Bushliner (WA) and their massive C185 is also giving it go. Huge undertakings for sure and I tip my hat to them.

Yeah, but if the wind is more than 7 knots they can land perpendicular to the runway

I wish them the best.

The fleet of working bush planes is really high time and needs options.

I was impressed with their labors on getting production set up for standardization and repeatability.

I thought the water cooled engine with 2300 RPM max was an interesting way to go.
Hope that's not a "bridge too far".

Leldon

The engine confuses me too. The intro to the video says the need is for a "certified" bush plane, but the liquid-cooled engine is from AC Aero, and none of their engines are certified, so the plane that uses one can't be certified, either, so how is this supposed to meet that need?

Subscribed One of the best videos, I've watched in a long time. I hope these two smart fellows have Great Success

Zimmerman, I'm right on the way, please pick Me up

Philip, Great find, and Thank You for posting



Dennis Martain, did you watch the video? They show just exactly how, their setting up to re-produce an Airplane, with precision, that was previously Hand Built

i wish i could see these guys talking about their business case for doing this interesting project. I hope they have the same level of passion and attention to detail as the actual
aircraft itself.

The answer might be this is a way to make 10+ or more for every dollar invested. On the other hand it might the case that you start with a big fortune in order to make a small fortune.

Love their attention to detail, passion and knowledge. Seems like great guys.

Hope it pencils. Cause i have no doubt they can build it.

It's great to see them take this on and I can certainly see them doing well.

The engine is a head-scratcher. I'm guessing it's just for their flying prototype that they hope to take to the show and not for what will roll off the line should that come to pass.

Could be a great candidate for the upscaled Deltahawk iteration.