yes we used one a bit in Gisborne - American chap flying it - ex Vietnam pilot - sadly killed back of Gisborne in it - an old Ruahine culler told me the first time they used one it was driven up to Mangaweka on back of truck from Wellington - otherwise very slow expensive flight up ahh - pilot stuck the blades on and did the job - back onto truck and home again - Hiller 12E was a marked improvement quite a bit more grunt - and then there was the Llama -first time I saw one used could not get over what they could lift - man they were slow but very grunty - dont quote me but was something like ( just pilot low fuel ) Bell 47 450 lb -Hiller 12E 600 lb Llama 900 lb - One Gisborne pilot had a Hiller 12e that had been fitted with a turbine instead of the flat six Lycoming -used to go and load for him on weekends and he would let me fly it home with the duals in - but feck spraying scrub back of Gisborne bloody drums of yup 245T
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