Comments on: “Commuter” helicopter http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:47:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: MrG http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064492 MrG Sat, 10 Jan 2009 12:43:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064492 The Hiller story does get a bit more complicated. In the early 1970s the rights to the Hiller helicopters were bought up, with sources variously claiming that Stan Hiller and an outfit named Rogerson were involved in the buyout, with the operation then obtained by Stan's son Jeff in 1994. Apparently the classic Hiller 360 is still in production -- it's commonly used as a cropduster. Cheers -- MrG The Hiller story does get a bit more complicated. In the early 1970s the rights to the Hiller
helicopters were bought up, with sources variously claiming that Stan Hiller and an outfit
named Rogerson were involved in the buyout, with the operation then obtained by Stan’s son
Jeff in 1994. Apparently the classic Hiller 360 is still in production — it’s commonly used as
a cropduster. Cheers — MrG

]]> By: John M. Hanna http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064484 John M. Hanna Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:10:25 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064484 Thank God this didn't catch on. Its bad enough I have idiots revving their motorcycles all day on my street. A neighborhhod of copter jockeys would be unbearable. Thank God this didn’t catch on. Its bad enough I have idiots revving their motorcycles all day on my street. A neighborhhod of copter jockeys would be unbearable.

]]> By: MrG http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064483 MrG Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:05:10 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064483 Hiller died out a long time ago. Back in the early Sixties the Army had a competition for a scout helicopter -- Hiller, Bell, and Hughes all bid on it, and Hughes won with what would turn out to be the Hughes 500 / OH-58 LOH or "Loach". Not a bad machine but Hughes used a wide range of corrupt practices ("booze, broads, & bribes") to make the deal, lowballed the price, won the bid, and then tried to jack it up. Congress stepped in and there was hell to pay. In the late 1960s the whole competition was rebid. Hiller had left his own company -- he was a business genius, going from one company in trouble to another to get them back on their feet -- and it became a Fairchild division. The management he left behind was so angry at the Army that they refused to enter the second round of bidding, even though they had what would turn out to be the best bid. Bell got the contract with the Jetranger instead. The Hiller division was shut down. Fairchild went on to develop the A-10 tank buster in the next decade, but it was their last shot -- they lost a big deal for an Air Force jet trainer in the 1980s and went bust. Cheers -- MrG / http://www.vectorsite.net Hiller died out a long time ago. Back in the early Sixties the Army had a competition for a scout
helicopter — Hiller, Bell, and Hughes all bid on it, and Hughes won with what would turn out
to be the Hughes 500 / OH-58 LOH or “Loach”. Not a bad machine but Hughes used a wide
range of corrupt practices (”booze, broads, & bribes”) to make the deal, lowballed the price,
won the bid, and then tried to jack it up. Congress stepped in and there was hell to pay.

In the late 1960s the whole competition was rebid. Hiller had left his own company — he
was a business genius, going from one company in trouble to another to get them back on their
feet — and it became a Fairchild division. The management he left behind was so angry at
the Army that they refused to enter the second round of bidding, even though they had what
would turn out to be the best bid. Bell got the contract with the Jetranger instead.
The Hiller division was shut down. Fairchild went on to develop the A-10 tank buster in the
next decade, but it was their last shot — they lost a big deal for an Air Force jet trainer in the
1980s and went bust.

Cheers — MrG / http://www.vectorsite.net

]]> By: LightningRose http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064475 LightningRose Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:10:37 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064475 The Hiller Aviation Museum is located in San Carlos, California. " The Hiller Aviation Institute, a non-profit organization, brings together historical, educational and technological resources to create programs which increase public understanding of science and aviation and inspire new opportunities. The Hiller Aviation Institute is dedicated to the dreams of flight – looking back into aviation’s history while exploring its future." http://www.hiller.org/ The Hiller Aviation Museum is located in San Carlos, California.

” The Hiller Aviation Institute, a non-profit organization, brings together historical, educational and technological resources to create programs which increase public understanding of science and aviation and inspire new opportunities.

The Hiller Aviation Institute is dedicated to the dreams of flight – looking back into aviation’s history while exploring its future.”

http://www.hiller.org/

]]> By: Tracy B. http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064468 Tracy B. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:36:11 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064468 I think it was Fairchild-Hiller for a while I think it was Fairchild-Hiller for a while

]]> By: Scott http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064450 Scott Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:09:35 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064450 Wish I had a flying potato in my driveway ... sigh. Wish I had a flying potato in my driveway … sigh.

]]> By: Torgo http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064423 Torgo Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:21:03 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064423 Quickly followed by "air-rage." Quickly followed by “air-rage.”

]]> By: Toronto http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2009/01/08/commuter-helicopter/comment-page-1/#comment-1064421 Toronto Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:17:58 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/?p=6559#comment-1064421 Hiller Aircraft is still in business, as far as I know. They were always 'out there' on the innovation vector, with tip-jets and coax. Imagine what this would have looked like with retractable gear. NASA would have had to field a lot of calls. Hiller Aircraft is still in business, as far as I know. They were always ‘out there’ on the innovation vector, with tip-jets and coax.

Imagine what this would have looked like with retractable gear. NASA would have had to field a lot of calls.

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