Mini 5oo Aero-News Article
and Comments
This Page was created
MArch 3oth, 2ooo
.
Mini 5oo Aero-News Article
and Comments
This Page was created
MArch 3oth, 2ooo
.
The story of the Revolution Helicopter Mini-500 debacle
will probably go down in sport aviation history as one of the most tragic,
if not most deadly, sport aviation scams in our history. Once a promising
little company with an intriguing prototype;
corporate greed, malfeasance, dishonesty, and incompetence
produced an aircraft that has one of the deadliest records in all of sport
aviation. Depending on who you believe, some 400-500 kits were sold to
excited buyers looking for the holy grail of an
affordable
kit helicopter. Out of those aircraft, less than 100 are reported to have
gotten airborne and over 60 accidents (some aircraft were crashed two or
three times, though) and at least eight fatal accidents (and an unconfirmed
ninth) have been recorded. The once promising little aircraft turned out
to be a death trap. Welds broke, parts failed, QC was abysmal, changes
were made that produced unsafe flight characteristics, the production machine
turned out to be heavier than planned, the engine turned out to be barely
adequate for normal flight at light weights, the company seemingly lied
as much as it told the truth, customers were threatened (some were sued),
employees were harassed, and its President turned out to be a very strange
man, indeed. An amount rumored to be well in excess of a million dollars
was taken on deposit for a much-hyped two seat version of the single seat
Mini-500, called the Voyager. While deadlines came and went and fake photos
were published and distributed by Revolution to try and calm some of the
criticism, much of the industry and industry associations/publications
sat idly by (especially EAA) as the situation grew increasingly alarming.
As more and more evidence of the frailty of the Mini-500 was uncovered
(while Revolution bizarrely boasted that the Voyager boasted a majority
of it parts came from the Mini-500 airframe...), the house of cards started
coming down. Revolution Helicopter 
President
Dennis Fetters grew increasingly erratic and argumentative with any source
of criticism, he changed his name to Mohammed Al Faris last summer for
the alleged purpose of marrying a Muslim woman, and the hype hit high gear...
until the whole thing crashed down around him. It was thought that Fetters
was beyond the reach of normal legal action since he was reported to be
heading out of the country and claimed to be broke. He sent a letter to
this customers warning them not to sue him and claimed that new financing
and backing for a revitalized company was right around the corner... while
stepping up a harassment campaign against those he felt were unsympathetic
to his efforts... even bankrupting one employee who could not afford to
fight Fetter’s law suits. However; recent information coming to light indicates
that Fetters might not be beyond justice after all. He has not left the
country and was seen in the neighborhood of Excelsior Springs, MO, some
of the assets of RHCI are still in the old plant, though the building has
been sold and he will have to vacate in a matter of days, and he is reported
to have petitioned the courts to change his name back to Dennis Fetters.
Customers and ex-employees report having been contacted by State and Federal
Law Enforcement, others speak about pursuing class action suits to get
their money back and seek restitution for alleged acts of fraud, while
the unending wait and delaying tactics for the Voyager 500 seem to have
created aggressive enmity from cheated customers throughout the world.
Former employees of the company assert that the much of the money taken
in deposit for the Voyager 500 may still exist and state that money was
sent overseas throughout the years to points unknown... and if true, the
potential for partial recovery of much of the hundreds of thousands of
dollars taken for the Voyager becomes potentially realistic. William Phillips,
President of the International Experimental Helicopter Association is serving
as a
clearinghouse for technical information for those trying
to fix their helicopters and also compiling a list of victims of RHCI to
serve as a nexus for potential legal action. With the increasing likelihood
of law enforcement involvement and the growing 
unease
of those allegedly defrauded, sparks are sure to fly... and reports of
other acts of fraud still trickle in with regularity. The only saving grace
in the matter is that as the “press” about the Mini-500's shortcomings
became better known, the aircraft were, in large part, grounded and others
modified extensively to ease potential failure points... and as a result
serious accidents in the last year have been rare (but for that matter,
so have flight hours...). Persons in recent contact with Fetters report
that he claims to have found a buyer for his company but that details seem
a bit incredible (Fetters alleges that a competitor was buying him out
to keep his machine off the market for good)... “with all the (BS) he pulled
on me, I wouldn’t believe a thing he says,” says one contact who talked
to him only a few weeks ago. ANN supports previous warnings recommending
extreme caution in any operation or purchase involving the Mini-500 or
Voyager 500 produced by Revolution Helicopter and recommends contact with
IEHA President William "Badwater Bill" Phillips for questions or comments
about this continuing problem. We will endeavor to keep you informed as
to developments in this story. FMI: billphil@Earthlink.net
Hi SHnPGIE
Sorry for adding some complains about the article from Aero-News.
But lots of the words in the article seem to be related
to hate from
Bill Phillips to Fetter. One can't deny there's been
trouble with the
mini, but it's all solved since the Mast Support System
& Power Enhancement
Package been available since 2 years ago. Still, Bill
Phillips add more and
more
petrol on the fire.
For example, in Europe and South Africa, they have no
problem with the
helicopter, only in US. In fact, it has a good reputation
in South Africa.
There's a article in Kitplanes where Bill ask questions
to Fetters, and the
questions are completely stupid (one can't believe he's
a engineer since
it seems like he don't know what he's talking about)
Bill was the leader in an earlier organization called
International
Helicopter
Builder Association (IHBA) where they suggested to stress
a Mini-500
to 200% above the normal flight load, bolted to the ground.
This
suggestions
seem to me so stupid, one can't even dream about that.
I attach their page with information.
Best Regards
anders
holmqvist
Thank you
Katarina
--- Glenn Ryerson <sporth@ptd.net> wrote:
> Hello Katarina
>
> Thank you for your eM to
> SHnPGIE.....................................
>
> Congratulations on your M5oo, truly wish U the best
> of luck n many many
> safe inexpensive flying hours in
> her....................
>
> Concerning your letter:
>
> Do U mind if I post it as is?
>
> Concerning the CH-7 Angel parts being a bolt on/as
> is replacement,
> sorry, nothing but the A/N nuts n bolts are the
> same....... The tail
> rotor could possibly be adapted but is is not a bolt
> on situation by any
> means. Do U have any idea of how many tail rotor
> less M5oos there are
> out there?
>
> Nice to hear of your visit to the old factory sight,
> I suspect this
> Spanish man may have been fetter's X father in law.
> But this is 100% a
> guess on my part............
>
> Love to hear more n see more fotos from you in the
> future Katarina. (By
> the way, we were both minted in the same year).
>
> Ciao for now, Glennnnnnnnnnnnn
>
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
>
> Subject: Maybe news on mini 500
> Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 21:18:55 -0800 (PST)
> From: Katarina Arnoux-Connors <helikatt@yahoo.com>
> To: sporth@ptd.net
>
> First of all let me introduce myself... my name is
> Katarina (KATT) Nicole Arnoux-Connors. I am the
> proud
> owner of M500 #325 it has flown off it's restriction
> with out any incidents... She has all the factory
> mods
> and is smooth as glass... so far so good...
> I live in Liberty Mo. just down the road from
> Excelsior Springs and the "factory" ... I went by
> the
> other day and saw someone inside... i waited and
> spoke
> with the gentleman... He was well dressed, Hispanic
> and his english was marginal, and on his way to the
> bank. he said.. (not Mr. Fetters) he said that
> parts
> were still available and that business would resume
> soon and that all was being moved to California.. He
> seemed unaware that the internet site was not
> working... Parts@revolutionhelicopter.com... I said
> i
> needed a few things, was intrested in the future of
> Revolution Helicopters being an owner... he said all
> would be back up and running..?????? When i asked
> the
> name of the company... he replied ... the same
> "Revolution" . as of this date the factory looks to
> be
> in one piece as if aliens had just wisked away
> everyone during lunch... even though i confirmed
> that
> RiteWay automotive has purchased the building and is
> planning on moving their repair business in...
> So can anyone add to this... I am at a loss and
> wonder
> what truely will be the outcome... The 500 (at least
> mine)seems to be a good little copter for the money,
> yes it is not a Bell Jet Ranger but i couldn't
> afford
> fuel for one anyway... and if we remember the
> limitations ..........
> I am more worried about parts and the future of the
> Mini more than i am the mechanical limitations...
> because i don't intend to explore the dark side of
> the
> h.v. curve. and take seriously the e.g.t and two
> stroke... like the ultralite folks don't fly over
> stuff you wouldn't land on... like the r22 awareness
> is key to a good personal safety record... I am a 50
> year old, mom to two... and don't wish to leave
> early...
> Question.. are Angel ch-7 parts a source and will
> they
> sell to mini owners ???? the folks who don't have
> tail
> boxes should be able to adapt these... if
> necessary..
>
> Please add me to the directory of owners...
> N489JB... no 325 ... 40 some hours and counting...
> by
> the way i am off to robinson for auto practice and
> some additional 15 hrs this weekend...
>
> Katarina Connors
> HELIKATT@Yahoo.com
>
