2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Posted (8 years 7 months 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 3691 times:
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So it's been documented that the Helio U-5A Twin Courier did in fact exist in small numbers. They were apparently used and/or evaluated by the USAF/CIA/Air America in the 1960s.
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The thing is, they've apparently disappeared from the face of the earth. Not surprising, considering they were involved with the CIA, I know...but I remember reading that one was given to the Indian Air Force and the others were sent to the Alaska Department of Interior or something like that. I also found this:
Reply from Helio Corp to inquiry: "Unfortunately, we have very little information on the Twin Courier. All we know is that there were supposedly seven delivered to the CIA. There are no manufacturing records for these aircraft. They left the factory one day and were never seen again by the Helio Aircraft Company. Apparently all records either went with the aircraft or were destroyed. We still have all the engineering drawings, but that is about it." (— Jos Heyman 11/20/01)
Does anyone know anything about what might have happened to these planes?
USAFHummer From United States of America, joined May 2000, 10685 posts, RR: 54 Reply 1, posted (8 years 7 months 4 days ago) and read 3542 times:
Wow...a Twin Courier...never even knew they existed...given the Courier's amazing performance, I can only imagine what a Twin Courier could do...VTOL maybe *sigh*
Greg
Chief A.net college football stadium self-pic guru
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 2, posted (8 years 7 months 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 3385 times:
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What strikes me is how incredibly top-heavy that thing must have been. Both engines and all of the fuel is positioned at the very top of the aircraft. Given the unforgiving landing characteristics the single-engine Helio displayed, I'd imagine the twin is a ground loop waiting to happen.
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 4, posted (8 years 7 months 8 hours ago) and read 3287 times:
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Slamclick,
A while back, I had a chance to talk with some folks who have flown Caribous, Twin Otters, etc. They made it sound as if deHavilland essentially ignored Vmc in the STOL charts and speeds to achieve maximum short field performance. Kind of an "at your own risk" deal. Perhaps that's what Helio did with the Twin Courier.
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 6, posted (8 years 6 months 4 weeks 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 3237 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD DATABASE EDITOR
Avt007....yeah, I found those links. They don't say where the aircraft are now, or whether they've been destroyed.
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 7, posted (8 years 6 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 3228 times:
Howdy 2H4 yes, that is correct. Real multi STOL ops has to count on a relative absence of bad luck. Single engine STOL too, to some extent. I flew the Helio, the Beaver, Otter, and some STOL-modded aircraft. In general it is a really good thing if nothing goes wrong while you are in the cobwebby corners of the envelope.
Also, VMC is applicable only at full power on the operative engine. So long as you can give up some altitude for additional speed, or squeeze off some power for additional directional control (and do these things quickly) VMC is not that big a deal.
Other than actual engine placement, this Helio sort of reminds me of the Dornier
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, 
*sigh*
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