Hi Alfredo
you may be right. My above contribution had been envisaged to be a joke. (or take it as a recommendation of an alternative transport method, may it be your own helicopter or a rent-a-helicopter).
By the way: When I lived and worked in California, I knew three people, who were owners of small helicopters and - they were collectors. None of those was a rich man and none of those was in the position to spend large amounts of bucks for minerals.
Other collectors I met or heard of, using helicopters to reach their digging targets, are in Colorado and in Washington. And, last not least, when at the university in Massachussets, I met two rather young guys, who were the sons of families, who owned helicopters - and both guys went collecting by heli over the weekend.
Taking in mind, that an unused small helicopter does not cost more than a simple Ferrari, and a used one not more than a Mercedes Benz, it' s certainly not uncommon for quite many US-citizens, to own one of those flying machines and use it for their hobbies.
Again - as I stated above: Its only my dream, to own a heli and collect Epidotes at the peak of a mountain ..., but living in Europe, this dream won't come thru. :'(
Last not least, if you might intend to buy a helicopter, here are some prices:
How much does a Helicopter cost?
Generally the first thing to decide if you are looking at the cost of a helicopter is whether you are after a 2-seater or a larger multi-passenger model.
One of the most popular brands in the world when it comes to helicopters is the Robinson. Although Bell Helicopter at one time made more helicopters then any other company in the world (although this was primarily on the strength of the B206 JetRanger), Robinson helicopters are renown for costing less to buy and run – and being generally more economical whilst not detracting from quality.
Robinson R-22
Considered one of the world’s most economical helicopters, the R22 carries a base list price of about $250,000 brand new. But there are many excellent deals to be found for good quality used R-22’s, often starting from around $100,000 - $150,000. Due to the R-22’s cheap operating costs, it is often used as a training helicopter. The R-22 is a two seater, making it light and giving it a very low inertia, allowing it to be extremely responsive to flight control inputs. In short, it is fun to fly. However, the R22 is not forgiving of pilot error or sluggishness, and is not recommended as a training helicopter due to this.
Cost – USD $250,000
--------------------------
Robinson R-44 Raven
The Robinson R-44 Raven line is a very popular choice of helicopter among flying experts. Many argue it is the worlds best for personal ownership, regardless of the price. It has four seats and comes in two models, the Raven I and Raven II (with the Raven II being more expensive). It is heavier then the R-22 allowing it to ride through wind gusts and turbulence more solidly than the R22. It is also much safer to fly as a ‘training helicopter’ for numerous reasons, but specifically because it gives you several more seconds to activate what is called autorotation (used to land during an engine failure) which can only be a good thing.
Cost – Raven I – USD $340,000
Raven II – USD $415,000
GBU - Peter