Heli of Day

[tamflyer]

Gerald Goldsberry's pretty 305, serial # 1001 was shown as heli of day on Just Helicopters Forum 28dec2012.

[bryancobb]

I had no idea there was even a complete one, helpless a flying specimen!

Great!

[Ken_Shea]

Had no idea either Bryan, was glad to see it.

It is my understanding from many years ago talking to someone at Brantly that the 305 used the same transmission and rotor control used on the B2/B2B, likely except for the blades.

Ken

[seneca2e]

Gary has had a flyable 305 for a long time. Just a handful of them around and his might be the only flyable one-several still show up on the FAA registration list though. I used to think they would be the cat's meow but they never gained traction due to various issues from what I've read. Had their problems been solved it could have been the R44 of its generation.

[bryancobb]

Harold Jenkins had put 305 T/R blades on Dave Matthew's B-2b, sometime back through the years to avoid the Dye-Pen A.D. every 100hrs. Dave had me put a set of 111-11A's
on it and take the 305 ones off because we couldn't find anything saying the 305 ones was permitted on a B-2.

[fixnfly]

Gary's also got another 305 at his place that isn't flying.

[tamflyer]

B305_interior.jpg (96.17 KiB) Viewed 4270 times

seneca2e said:
Had their problems been solved it could have been the R44 of its generation.

Very good point
For example, IMHO, the interior of the 305 from about 50 years ago compares very favorably with the $300K R-44 of today.