Helicopters are a very complex aircraft with thousands of moving parts. Their versatility is simply unmatched, and they can reach places a fixed-wing aircraft cannot. Helicopters can take-off and from airports and land in any environment or space large enough to accommodate the helicopter’s overall footprint. Because of this versatility, helicopters are generally used for highly specialized tasks.
Since its inception into aviation in 1939, the helicopter has proven itself to be useful by providing aerial support for a variety of specialized industries. Most helicopters are multi-mission capable and can be configured in a variety of ways to suit the needs of the job.
Owning a helicopter can be both fun and practical if it suits one’s business needs. However, the versatility and freedom that a helicopter gives you does come with a pretty hefty price tag. Why are they so expensive?
Several factors contribute to the exuberant costs of owning a helicopter. Some reasons include stringent maintenance programmes, high insurance premiums, limited production, and high operating costs. Due to their flight characteristics, where all lift is generated by the rotating blades, helicopters require more fuel than a similarly sized airplane.
Believe it or not, the actual purchase price of the aircraft is NOT what makes owning a helicopter so expensive. The price is comparable to fixed-wing airplanes of the same size. What makes the helicopter so expensive is the operational cost per hour!
So let’s look at some factors that make helicopters so expensive!
Table of Contents
Factors that make helicopters expensive
Maintenance
Due to a helicopter’s design and flight characteristics, they require a very stringent maintenance program to ensure that they are in safe, functional condition.
The major components of a helicopter such as engines, drive trains, and rotor systems all have compulsory inspections that must be performed at specified intervals. Rotor aircraft also require primary component replacement more often, regardless of its condition.
Liability
Aviation is considered a high-risk industry by insurance companies, so premiums can be expensive depending on the type of aircraft, and primary use. Because helicopters are exposed to unique flying conditions that increase the risk of incidents, their accident rate is significantly higher than fixed-wing aircraft.
According to aircraft accident data collected by the National Transportation Saftey Board (NTSB), helicopters crash at a rate of 9.84 per 100,000 hours, which is about 35 percent more than any other type of aircraft. This makes insurance premiums for helicopters 3-4 times more expensive than a similarly valued fixed-wing aircraft.
Limited Production
Although the helicopter industry has grown by 37 percent in the past ten years, the helicopter production rates are relatively low compared to fixed-wing aircraft. There are around 2200 helicopters delivered per year and about 31,000 rotorcraft in service around the world. The reason for limited production numbers is partly due to the fact that helicopter production cannot be automated because of the intricacies required to assemble the aircraft. It necessitates a skilled technician to build them. Therefore, most companies are only able to deliver a small number of aircraft per year.
As a result of small-batch production, the costs associated with research and development, regulatory approvals, and other expenses related to building a helicopter has to be spread across a limited inventory. This does attribute to some of the high upfront cost of a rotorcraft.
Specialized Roles
Generally, helicopters operate in highly specialized roles within the aviation industry because they can perform the task and reach places that planes can’t. This makes them more valuable in industries that need to access the most remote locations.
To serve in these roles, helicopters must be appropriately configured. The proper aircraft configuration can cost several million dollars on top of the price of the aircraft.
How Much Do Helicopters Cost?
When we are talking about the cost of helicopters, there are two main types of aircraft in use. Civil and military aviation have two completely different styles of rotorcraft, and the cost associated with these airframes also differ.
Since military helicopters are meant to operate in combat zones, their configurations are more costly than those of their civilian counterparts.
Cost of Civil Aviation Helicopters
Helicopters developed for civil aviation can vary in price depending on the model and configuration. A small two-seat light helicopter goes for around $300,000, and cost can reach upwards of $30 million for a long-range dual turbine engine model. In civil aviation, choppers work a variety of industries and can be configured for just about anything.
For Example, the Sikorsky S-64 Ericson Skycrane ( which costs around $30 million) is a specially designed to lift heavy objects that weigh as much as 25,000 lbs. The S-64 is used in industries that require heavy lifting in the most remote places. The Skycrane can also be configured for aerial firefighting and is capable of carrying 2500 gallons of water.
Cost of Military Helicopters
The United States government is the largest procurer of helicopters in the world and requires a particular type of aircraft to conduct vertical-lift operations.
Helicopters like the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk are multi-role aircraft that are capable of operating in harsh conditions. Depending on the mission configuration, the Blackhawk can costs upwards of $60 million. That seems expensive, but the UH-60 is not the most expensive helicopter in the United States military’s fleet.
What are the costs associated with operating a helicopter?
Helicopters are expensive to operate for several reasons, but the costs can be broken down into two types of costs, operational and fixed costs.
Operational cost refers to the expenses incurred to run the aircraft, such as fuel, maintenance, and landing fees. Fixed costs are long-term fees associated with helicopter ownership, such as payment, insurance, and hangar space.
Fixed fees can cost several thousand dollars a month. In contrast, operational costs can run up to $900 per hour for dual turbine engine aircraft.
Fuel costs will vary by region, but you can expect to pay around $5.00– 7.80 per US gallon. Due to the flight characteristics of a helicopter, where all of the lift is generated by the rotating blades, they are not very energy efficient, so aircraft fuel can be expensive.
What is the Most Expensive Helicopter in the World?
The most expensive helicopter in the world is The Sikorsky/Lockheed CH-53K King Stallion, which fully-equipped costs $131 million.
The CH-53K is the Marine Corps’ newest heavy-lift helicopter and was introduced in 2014. The Aircraft is 99 feet long and has two General Electric T408 engines capable of producing 7500 horsepower and a maximum cruising speed of 170 knots. It can lift 36,000 pounds and can carry a 27,000-pound load for 110 nautical miles.
The King Stallion is three times more powerful than its predecessor, the CH-53E, and is one of the most powerful helicopters in the world!
In Civil Aviation, the Airbus H-225 Super Puma is the most expensive helicopter in the world, at a price tag of 27,5 million dollars
The Super Puma, like most helicopters, is multi-mission capable and can be configured for a variety of uses. The H-225 is a long-range passenger transport aircraft initially developed for the oil and gas industry for offshore exploration.
The prototype caught the attention of several government agencies who saw the potential in what this aircraft can do. In 2005 Algeria was the first country to purchase one. The Super Puma is mainly used in the oil and gas industry and by government agencies. Still, they can be configured as corporate aircraft too.
What is the Cheapest Commercial Helicopter?
The Robinson R-22 aircraft is the lowest-priced commercial helicopter utilized in aviation. It can be purchased for around $250,000 for a late-model aircraft. The R-22 was designed to be cheaper to operate and easier to maintain. Robinson Aviation makes several models, which include a four-seat piston and a single turbine engine aircraft.
The Robinson aircraft is one of the most adaptable helicopters in the world. They can perform a variety of smaller roles in the helicopter industry.
Are Helicopters More Expensive than planes?
Yes, the cost to operate and maintain a helicopter far exceeds the operating cost of an airplane, though, they are comparable in the purchase price. Helicopters require more maintenance to keep them airworthy and burn more fuel per hour than fixed-wing aircraft. Planes are more efficient and cheaper to fly because they can travel faster and farther on less fuel.
Learning to fly a plane is more affordable as well. Helicopter flight school often costs double that of fixed-wing flight schools.
Summary
Helicopters are expensive, but they serve in essential roles in the aviation industry. They are an indispensable part of aviation, and their adaptability is unmatched. They are an extremely valuable asset and can be configured for almost any task. Without helicopters, we would be without essential services such as fire and rescue or be limited to areas we can access.
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