Hughes 269C G-USCO

If you were to find the fixed wing equivalent of this 1975 Hughes 269C it would be a Piper Super Cub. The automotive equivalent would probably be a Land Rover Defender. Rugged utility in a timeless package that is the height of good taste. Folks who know every 269 helicopter in the country have all told us G-USCO is one of the smoothest and nicest to fly.

If you haven’t researched the Schweizer/Hughes 269 type then let us tell you why we wanted to own one. Well built guys need the 847lb useful load and roomy cabin this type offers. Hard core fixed wing habits are easily forgiven with the smooth, stable flight characteristics of the fully articulated rotor head system. Learning to manage engine power and rotor RPM is the lifeblood of helicopter flying, just the same way as learning to fly a tailwheel aeroplane or learning to drive a manual car yields a better understanding of things.

The 269C (300C marketing name) was originally built by Hughes Helicopters from 1970 through to 1983 when Schweizer bought out the rights to the type. The 269C is a fuel injected 190hp variant with a 2050lb MTOW and large diameter rotor blades. When Robinson started to take market share in the training market a watered down version of the 269 came out as the 269-1 (300CB marketing name) which lost the fuel injection, one centre seat, 10hp and had a lower useful load. They built 138 of these before giving the market back the fuel injection and 10hp as the “300Cbi” but it’s raison d’etre was a lower cost version of the 269C. Private owners fly different missions to schools, and the ability to spin up to 3200rpm making light work of confined area’s is the reason you want a 269C. 

There are many late model features from the Schweizer era fitted to G-USCO like the heavy duty tail boom, main rotor gear box and wide instrument panel and note the dual 49USG (185L) fuel tanks. In August 2017 it received a beautiful leather interior in Cream and Black complimented with Red Stitching. The panel has a Trig TY96 8.33Khz Com, AH, DI, Dual USB power, Pilot Aware Rosetta and Garmin GTX330 Mode S. We were always happy sitting on a £50k zero timed engine by Nicholson McLaren completed in August 2017 with 358hrs SMOH. The Lycoming 360 is the most reliable piston engine in aviation, but ask any engine overhaul shop and they will tell you that a helicopter “H” variant is a beast. It is made with heavier parts and makes the best, simply better. The ship was painted a two tone grey scheme after it was imported from Germany, and it is complemented by LED lights. We have a proper set of outdoor covers for the 5 Blades (3+2) along with the cabin and head. There is also a pneumatic trolley to move the helicopter.

• 66% Median Component Time Remaining
• 6615hrs TTAF
• Late Style Splined 8000hr MR Hub (not 1900hr)
• Late Style Splined 3200hr MR Drive Shaft (Not 1900hr)
• Late Style 4200hr Life Tail Boom (Not 2100hr)
• Late Style 4200hr Horizontal Stab (Not 2500hr)
• Late Style 6000hr Lower Pulley Coupling Shaft (Not 1500hr)
• Late Style 5100hr Tail Rotor Retention Straps (Not 3540hr)
• Late Style 5500hr MR Blades (Not 3050hr)
• Late Model Wide Instrument Panel/Locker
• Elastomeric MR Dampers
• Concorde Sealed Battery
• Leather Interior (August 2017)
• Nicholson McClaren Engine Overhaul (August 2017)
• 49 USG Dual Tanks
• Dual Controls
• Triple Latch Doors
• Paravion Door Actuators
• V-Belt Drive Cover
• Fresh Air Vents
• Sliding Door Vents
• Heel Scuff Plates
• Trig TY-96 Com
• Sigtronics SPA400 I/C
• Garmin GTX 328 Transponder
• USB Power Points
• Vertical Card Compass
• Heater
• First Aid Kit
• Night Lights
• LED Nav
• LED Rear Strobe
• Fire Extinguisher
• 8 Day Chronometer
• Full Set of Outdoor Covers
• Blade Sock Tie Up
• Headset Hooks

Price €129,000 Euro (Plus EU/UK VAT)