My younger daughter's first airplane ride was in one of JAARS' Couriers, painted just like this one. Could be the same plane for all I remember, didn't keep the tail number. I rode right seat, my daughter and her friend (both about 10, I think) rode in back. It was Lower Creek Airport in Lenoir, NC around 2007-2008. I was so impressed with the abilities of the plane, the pilot showed us a short takeoff and short landing and slow flight down the runway.
I know capt, Bob griffin and his family...they stayed in the town of bagabag near the property of bagabag airport... my late dad was bob's close friend...they use to fly together during test flight...bob is one of the pioneer helio pilots of SIL...that was when i was in second grade in 1963-64...i am 67 years old now...those were the memorable days!!!
We used a Courier G-ARMU as a camera aircraft on Roger Corman’s RICHTHOFEN & BROWN during our 1970 film shoot on my Blue Max airfield in Ireland. With the camera pointed out of the port door, with operator behind it, I would fly with flaps and cross-controlled at 45 knots - to keep the starboard wing out of shot. The Courier gave us an inexpensive substitute for the Alouette helicopter I owned. The Courier was one of my all-time favourites. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Garriso
When I was a Little Boy: Whenever we hear the SIL/JAARS Helio Courier buzzing, we ran through the thick and bushy corn fields to the BPI/Bureau of Plant Industry's airstrip (Aroman KIbudtungan). It's nice to touch the white and blue fuselage and still hot brake lining of the plane's tires that struggles to land in slippery airstrip. On the side of plane's head was written, "Spirit of San Diego" latter on in Filipino, " Ang Diwa ng San Diego". We were curious on the tall and white with blue, blond aquiline-nosed missionaries. Yes, we heard the name "Pilot Bob", also Pilot Fletcher and Kings. Sad to read Pilot Bob had already gone home. Pilot was our superhero at those time because he manage to land and take-off his plane in the muddy slippery airstrip in Aroman. Bob was a great pilot.
I'll never forget seeing one of these hover over my housing area in Ft. Walton Beach, FL around 1965. It was an Air Force version (U-10 ?) Obviously a healthy wind enabled his hovering.
When I was 16 I made a trip to NC to see a friend. We went to an airshow featuring a missionary group. I got to take a ride in a helio. I don’t remember who the pilot was. I would like to think it was this gentleman. This particular plane looks familiar. I remember the pilot turning a “window winder” on the ceiling of the plane that I later learned controlled the flaps. It was quite a ride. I think the mission was JAARS.
It's a Lycoming GO-480, 295 HP. The engine is producing 3,450 RPM. The engine has a gear box which swings a 96-inch propeller which is much larger than the usual 72-inch propeller on Cessnas. The propeller turns at 2,200 RPM. Thus the propeller pulls more air than most aircraft.
Complicated story. The company became involved in a government contract. the US government began producing the aircraft in Taiwan without permission of the Helio company. They did a great job keeping it a secret except of the fact they couldn't manufacture the mechanical "brain" that rigs the slats interceptors together. So the government kept ordering the mechanical device which had almost no history of failure. The company got suspicious and did some investigation. They brought a lawsuit against the company for a large sum of money. They eventually won the suit, the government cancelled their contract with Helio and the company floundered interceptors eventually and went out of business. There was a brief resurgence in the 1980s producing the 700 and 800 model of Helio, without a geared engine. I believe there were less than 10 produced. Most recently, the Helio type certificate and drawings were sold to a group in Alaska that hopes to manufacture spare parts for the aircraft and possibly produce new aircraft in the future. I sincerely hope they are successful.
Nathan Mackey Thanks for this! This has been my dream plane for like 2 years now and was never able to find an explanation on the internet. I hope the new company’s successful also
My younger daughter's first airplane ride was in one of JAARS' Couriers, painted just like this one. Could be the same plane for all I remember, didn't keep the tail number. I rode right seat, my daughter and her friend (both about 10, I think) rode in back. It was Lower Creek Airport in Lenoir, NC around 2007-2008. I was so impressed with the abilities of the plane, the pilot showed us a short takeoff and short landing and slow flight down the runway.
I know capt, Bob griffin and his family...they stayed in the town of bagabag near the property of bagabag airport... my late dad was bob's close friend...they use to fly together during test flight...bob is one of the pioneer helio pilots of SIL...that was when i was in second grade in 1963-64...i am 67 years old now...those were the memorable days!!!
We used a Courier G-ARMU as a camera aircraft on Roger Corman’s RICHTHOFEN & BROWN during our 1970 film shoot on my Blue Max airfield in Ireland. With the camera pointed out of the port door, with operator behind it, I would fly with flaps and cross-controlled at 45 knots - to keep the starboard wing out of shot. The Courier gave us an inexpensive substitute for the Alouette helicopter I owned. The Courier was one of my all-time favourites.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Garriso
When I was a Little Boy: Whenever we hear the SIL/JAARS Helio Courier buzzing, we ran through the thick and bushy corn fields to the BPI/Bureau of Plant Industry's airstrip (Aroman KIbudtungan). It's nice to touch the white and blue fuselage and still hot brake lining of the plane's tires that struggles to land in slippery airstrip. On the side of plane's head was written, "Spirit of San Diego" latter on in Filipino, " Ang Diwa ng San Diego". We were curious on the tall and white with blue, blond aquiline-nosed missionaries. Yes, we heard the name "Pilot Bob", also Pilot Fletcher and Kings. Sad to read Pilot Bob had already gone home. Pilot was our superhero at those time because he manage to land and take-off his plane in the muddy slippery airstrip in Aroman. Bob was a great pilot.
Awesome! I remeber Bob, what an amazing Helio Pilot!
I'll never forget seeing one of these hover over my housing area in Ft. Walton Beach, FL around 1965. It was an Air Force version (U-10 ?) Obviously a healthy wind enabled his hovering.
AU-24 Stallion I think
Oh nevermind you're right u-10 d was another variant
I've always wanted one of these!!!@ 😮😊
In the 70's there was a Helio Courier Dealership that had a Tri Gear and the standard taildragger model at the Rockwall Airport ( F46 nowadays ).
Phenomenal aircraft and what a sound! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
When I was 16 I made a trip to NC to see a friend. We went to an airshow featuring a missionary group. I got to take a ride in a helio. I don’t remember who the pilot was. I would like to think it was this gentleman. This particular plane looks familiar. I remember the pilot turning a “window winder” on the ceiling of the plane that I later learned controlled the flaps. It was quite a ride. I think the mission was JAARS.
What year would that have been?
Around ‘98 or ‘99.
I flew this plane in this incredible especially when adapted to seafloats
Que bueno
That gear reduction engine sounds awesome
It's a Lycoming GO-480, 295 HP. The engine is producing 3,450 RPM. The engine has a gear box which swings a 96-inch propeller which is much larger than the usual 72-inch propeller on Cessnas. The propeller turns at 2,200 RPM. Thus the propeller pulls more air than most aircraft.
This would be a perfect aircraft to use the Lycoming 10-590 engine.! 310-315 H.P. would be a good power, without being too heavy.
Why did they stop making it?☹️
Complicated story. The company became involved in a government contract. the US government began producing the aircraft in Taiwan without permission of the Helio company. They did a great job keeping it a secret except of the fact they couldn't manufacture the mechanical "brain" that rigs the slats interceptors together. So the government kept ordering the mechanical device which had almost no history of failure. The company got suspicious and did some investigation. They brought a lawsuit against the company for a large sum of money. They eventually won the suit, the government cancelled their contract with Helio and the company floundered interceptors eventually and went out of business. There was a brief resurgence in the 1980s producing the 700 and 800 model of Helio, without a geared engine. I believe there were less than 10 produced. Most recently, the Helio type certificate and drawings were sold to a group in Alaska that hopes to manufacture spare parts for the aircraft and possibly produce new aircraft in the future. I sincerely hope they are successful.
Nathan Mackey Thanks for this! This has been my dream plane for like 2 years now and was never able to find an explanation on the internet. I hope the new company’s successful also
The us government tried to buy these from owners to be used by CIA for nefarious reasons in SE Asia, this was 1964/5