Are helicopters the ultimate luxury toys?

When people get rich, some really like to show it: big cars, huge houses, glamorous clothes and sometimes, even helicopters.

The pickup and putdown capabilities of the helicopter are well known, and they also make them the ultimate traffic beating commuter vehicles.

Imagine it: You finish your coffee, say goodbye to the family and leave for work. But it’s not to spend ours in a traffic jam or in the stifling heat of public transport; you’re taking your own helicopter to work.

It may sound ridiculous, but helicopters are not just for the super executives; ownership is now possible for as little as $250,000!

The Robinson 22 changed everything when it was introduced in 1979. This diminutive aircraft made the dream of helicopter ownership a reality and has continued to help trainee pilots get their licenses, ever since.

Designed by Frank Robinson , it was made to help tempt people out of cars and into the skies – a dream that has yet to be realized.

For the ultimate show of status there are more flashy models. The Bell Jet Ranger is popular and commonly found flying business leaders from one place to another. But perhaps the most impressive is the Augusta 109, with its aerodynamic lines and top speed of 150 mph.

It’s partly thanks to the vision of Frank Robinson that there are so many flight training schools around the US.
So if you know someone with a hankering for flight, perhaps you can help get them off the ground with a ‘hands on’ helicopter flight in Seattle? And there are helicopter flying lessons in Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Jersey and at venues all around the US.

There are tours available of the major cities, and even one to be had above the Missouri botanical gardens!

If you choose one of the helicopter experiences, keep an eye out for the helicopters you fly in, there’s a good chance it will be a Robinson.