The Cheapest Helicopter on Earth Costs Less Than Most New Cars
No, this isn’t a joke. The cheapest helicopter in the world is actually this cartoonishly small and costs less than most new cars today. Not only do you need $35,000 for this crazy thing, but you also need nerves of steel. Clocking in at only 249 pounds makes this helicopter strange from the jump. However, the lack of any bodywork and the coaxial blades send this thing into the stratosphere of weirdness.
What is the cheapest helicopter?
The Mirocopter SCH-2A is the cheapest helicopter on the market. According to Silodrome, this tiny copter is produced in Slovenia. The design process took 10 years of testing to finalize the design.
Not only is this $35,000 helicopter the cheapest helicopter, but it’s also the smallest coaxial helicopter made. If all of this weren’t enough to peak interest, this little flying machine is also said to require minimal maintenance.
How did the Microcpoter come about?
From the jump, the Microcopter was meant to be the cheapest and one of the lightest helicopters on Earth.
Silodrome notes that even though this machine seems a little silly, it still has standard helicopter controls. Vertical thrust is achieved by collective blade pitch control of both overhead rotors. The blade pitch also controls the direction and yaw of the craft. Unlike regular helicopters, this one has no tail rotor; it’s literally a seat with blades on top and a stabilizing stubby tail jutting from the back. The lack of a tail rotor allows the Microcopter to lift more weight and operate in smaller areas.
What can this tiny helicopter do?
There are a bunch of great uses for the tiny whirlybird like fire rescue, police work, land surveying, ranching, and, of course, fun.
Microcopter dealers are in Korea, China, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and the US.
I still maintain that flying this thing seems terrifying, but the spec sheet is pretty impressive.
- Weight: the SCH-2A only weighs 113 kgs (249 lbs). Even though it’s small, it can accommodate a pilot weighing up to 273 lb.
- Top Speed: Max speed tops out at 62 mph, but it can comfortably cruise at 50 mph.
- Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons is all the helo can hold. It can run for a little over an hour aloft on this much fuel.
- Size: The SCH-2A has a length of 14.3 ft, a width of 4.9 ft, and a height of 8 ft.
- Engine: Fiate MZ202 dual ignition, twin cylinder, two-stroke gasoline engine that produces 60 hp at 5,800 rpm.
- Instruments: The instrument panel is a Smarteh 7″ LCD color resistive touchscreen with variable measurement layouts.
Where can you buy a Microcopter SCH-2A?
There is one currently listed on eBay for the $35,000 MSRP. Check out the listing here if you care to take your life into your own hands. After all, how else can you get airborne for only $35,000?
