I am still broken-hearted about the RotorX fiasco. Sometimes I wistfully browse and fantasize the few helicopter kits still in production. Of these, the coolest and by far the most expensive is the Hummingbird. In the “About” section of their website is this little nugget I had never noticed before:
In 1959, Fred Clark, the father of Brad, founder of Orlando Helicopter Airways, Inc. began flying Sikorsky S-52’s for tours at Cape Kennedy. He also conducted agricultural spraying operations and power line patrols. In 1970, the Sikorsky S-55 Heli-Camper helicopter was introduced, fully carpeted and soundproofed, hot and cold water, refrigerator, two-burner stove, shower, wash basin, toilet, air conditioning, TV, AM/FM stereo radio and tape deck, pull out awning, tinted windows, bar and storage cabinets, dual flight controls, full night lighting and dual landing lights, inter-phone system, com/nav radio and emergency locator beacon, slept four people, and was FAA certified. It was marketed by Winnebago
Even Hayao Miyazaki, in his wildest dreams, would probably fail to conjure up such an impractical machine. That’s helicopters for ya.
