Why are helicopters so expensive?

[Yurgon]

I think by "Bolkov" he Meant Bolkow/MBB?

 

D'oh, yeah, that makes sense. The word just looked so foreign, I assumed it was an obscure company from, dunno, Siberia or so. :)

 

Kaman SH-2 Seasprite and K-MAX (unmanned version of the K-MAX is in A-stan doing sling loads for the Marines)

 

Right, how could I forget about them? The K-Max is often featured in documentaries about wood works in mountainous regions and, of course, construction work. Amazing little work-horse. :)

 

There is also still MD Helicopters (the "MD" doesn't mean anything) that produces the civilian version of the former McDonnell Douglas helicopters (Boeing only makes the military models, AH-64 and A/MH-6 series).

 

Good to know, thx. :thumbup:

[Weta43]

Sorry, just heading out work's door, so just dropping in a comment -

Supply and demand - limited supply - because they're beyond the scope of home handymen to design and build = high cost.

Gliders, airplanes, auto-gyros, they can be homebuilt, so so there's competition at the bottom end of the market. Helicopters, less so...

 

That said, a Robinson R22 is ~ $270k, a Cessna 172 is $275k

Edited March 18, 2014 by Weta43

[Vampyre]

This is how the VH-71 Kestrel price skyrocketed to around $400 million per copy. A ton of R&D work went into it, and that cost was only going to be spread out among 28 aircraft. Like Flagrum said, other industries have the same issues, they just get to spread their costs out over millions of units.

 

Which is laughable because the helicopter itself was a version of the EH-101. The RAF and RN were already operating them as the Merlin HM 1, Merlin HM 2, and Merlin HC 3. Heck the Canadians were even operating a version called the CH-149 Cormorant. While the R&D effort to make them more "US" was indeed spread over only a few airframes that just exacerbated the symptoms of the program mismanagement. That and it wasn't an American design so the politicos were against it as well and that is probably what really killed it. If the original winner was an S-92 it would have been flying as an executive transport right now.

[AlphaOneSix]

I don't doubt politics played a role, they always do. But $13 billion USD for 28 helicopters? That sure does make it an easy decision.

 

It might still be an S-92 someday... VH-92?

[ironmarc]

They aren't that expensive, prices actually varies a lot. They can be priced at the millions and aas much as some cars as well.

 

Those helicopters sold in a kit form usually cost as much as a Cadillac.

[cichlidfan]

Those helicopters sold in a kit form usually cost as much as a Cadillac.

 

Sorry, I am not flying in anything, especially a helicopter, that I built, no matter how good the instructions are!! :D

[EtherealN]

Sorry, I am not flying in anything, especially a helicopter, that I built, no matter how good the instructions are!! :D

 

Don't worry, I can charge you a competitive rate to assemble it for you. :D

[cichlidfan]

Don't worry, I can charge you a competitive rate to assemble it for you. :D

 

For some reason, I don't feel much better. I'll keep you in mind though. :)