2008-02-07 02:27:55.589267+00 by meuon 6 comments
First, Eric (w/Dan and Heidi assisting) took some great wedding pics by balloon, and then a
friend with a helicopter e-mailed me some unique pictures of our house.
Plugging his Aerial Photography Services is the least I can do.
[ related topics: Hardware Hackery Photography Robotics Embedded Devices Marriage Real Estate Aviation - Helicopters ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-07 05:06:29.941392+00 by: ebradway
This guy obviously has a lot of money. His rates don't even cover the operational expense of the helicopter. One of the problems I encountered trying to make money doing this kind of thing is that there are many folks with money who just do it for the kicks.
Personally, I'm starting flying lessons in a few weeks...
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-07 05:59:30.322695+00 by: Dan Lyke
I don't remember the exact operating costs on an R44, I did look it up within the past two years or so, but you can almost fly a JetRanger for his $450/hr. In major metropolitan areas you can rent a Robinson with fuel and an instructor for under $400/hr.
Don't begrudge him his costs for a minute, and he's not getting rich off of it, but if he can book at that rate he's making money.
Cool shot, Meuon!
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-07 06:11:03.839752+00 by: Dan Lyke [edit history]
Here we go: Robinson R44 at 500 hrs/year costs $128.50/hr, $21/hr of that is fixed costs. So, yeah, he's not getting rich, but he's not subsidizing it much either.
(Edit: Whoops, those numbers are a bit outdated, fuel at $2/gal? So add at least another $35/hr for fuel costs...)
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-07 18:28:03.421953+00 by: m
Looks like a really beautiful area to live in!
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-07 20:29:15.478215+00 by: Dan Lyke
Those bluffs another house up? The area is littered with them, making it a fantastic place for rock climbing. It's also centrally located between the Smokies up along the Tennessee/North Carolina border, extending down into Georgia and South Carolina, and Sand Mountain, down into Alabama, making for an amazing variety of whitewater in the winter months. And, of course, there's that Tennessee river down there in the gorge and miles and miles of hiking and... well...
Oh yeah, when I lived there I also used to bike up the road near Mike & Nancy's, and then down the "W" road (named after its shape, not our president). A great sustained climb, then a quarter mile drop with lots of fun tight twists.
Yeah, it's a spectacular area.
#Comment Re: made: 2008-02-08 01:19:24.840086+00 by: JT
Seems a great way to get your hours up if you need to qualify for better insurance rates or qualify for insurance for a better job, such as offshore oil rig transport.