Helicopter Profitability Study

This is a summary of my studies so far. I only have L2 Helicopters, so its stopped at that. I will update this as we go along, but probably not again until 100 flights for each. The repetition in items seems steady at about 8 different combinations of materials for each flight, so while there may be some narrowing, after 100 it will likely be steady.

Average Cost assumes only the use of H Fuel at 5 units for 10 coins (2 min). Sparrows remain profitable (though in the 10s of coins per hour) at 18 for 55 coins (10 mins), but that's it. Any higher and even Sparrows are losing propositions.

As of 28 May 2018:
For Each Flight - # of flights forming the basis (this will stop at 100), Avg Cost, Avg Profit, Time for flight, Profit/Hr
Sparrow:
Yellowstone: 100 flights, Avg Cost: 42.4, Avg Profit: 7.6 Time: 4 mins, PPH: 114
Lake Baikal: 52 flights, Avg cost: 55.5, Avg profit: 9.5, Time: 6 mins, PPH: 95
Snowdonia: 50 flights, Avg cost: 70.6, Avg profit: 9.4, Time: 8 mins, PPH: 71
Fiordland: 50 flights, Avg cost: 86.0, Avg profit: 9.0, Time: 10 mins, PPH: 54
Banff: 50 flights, Avg cost: 102.5, Avg profit: 7.5, Time: 12 mins, PPH: 38

Crossbill:
Iguazu Falls: 49 flights, Avg cost: 188.8, Avg profit: -39.8 Time: 15 mins, PPH: -159
Angel Falls: 31 flights, Avg cost: 247.2, Avg profit: -56.2 Time: 20 mins, PPH: -168
Victoria Falls: 30 flights, Avg cost: 297.5, Avg profit: -64.5 Time: 25 mins, PPH: -155
Niagra Falls: 24 flights, Avg cost: 468.8, Avg profit: -108.8 Time: 40 mins, PPH: -163
Rideau Falls: 23 flights, Avg cost: 693.7, Avg profit: -164.7 Time: 60 mins, PPH: -165

@WolfAngus hat tip for finding my formula bug in PPH.
As of earlier (Feb 2018?):
For those interested, unformatted, here are the related total #'s of items used
Sparrow: Micro, Gear, Varnish, Sensor
Yellowstone (13): 16 5 5 3
Lake Baikal (10): 13 3 10 4
Snowdonia (10): 15 1 5 11
Fiordland (10): 10 3 12 13
Banff (10): 7 7 17 15

Crossbill: Valve, Pyramid, Swivel, Emerg, Drive, Tail
Iguazu (10): 3 14 2 6 15 7
Angel (10): 7 4 4 7 20 18
Victoria (10): 20 6 22 12 10 10
Niagra (10): 18 8 34 14 26 22
Rideau (10): 26 26 39 31 44 21

 

[JetJohnny]

I built crossbills to get the item drops. Helicopters don't seem profitable at all to start, but now I'm about 40 flights in and received a total of 1 item drop. Yes, that's a 1. That's insane! Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Husker4ever]

This is a summary of my studies so far. I only have L2 Helicopters, so its stopped at that. I will update this as we go along, but probably not again until 100 flights for each. The repetition in items seems steady at about 8 different combinations of materials for each flight, so while there may be some narrowing, after 100 it will likely be steady.

Average Cost assumes only the use of H Fuel at 5 units for 10 coins (2 min). Sparrows remain profitable (though in the 10s of coins per hour) at 18 for 55 coins (10 mins), but that's it. Any higher and even Sparrows are losing propositions.

As of 28 May 2018:
For Each Flight - # of flights forming the basis (this will stop at 100), Avg Cost, Avg Profit, Time for flight, Profit/Hr
Sparrow:
Yellowstone: 100 flights, Avg Cost: 42.4, Avg Profit: 7.6 Time: 4 mins, PPH: 114
Lake Baikal: 52 flights, Avg cost: 55.5, Avg profit: 9.5, Time: 6 mins, PPH: 95
Snowdonia: 50 flights, Avg cost: 70.6, Avg profit: 9.4, Time: 8 mins, PPH: 71
Fiordland: 50 flights, Avg cost: 86.0, Avg profit: 9.0, Time: 10 mins, PPH: 54
Banff: 50 flights, Avg cost: 102.5, Avg profit: 7.5, Time: 12 mins, PPH: 38

Crossbill:
Iguazu Falls: 49 flights, Avg cost: 188.8, Avg profit: -39.8 Time: 15 mins, PPH: -159
Angel Falls: 31 flights, Avg cost: 247.2, Avg profit: -56.2 Time: 20 mins, PPH: -168
Victoria Falls: 30 flights, Avg cost: 297.5, Avg profit: -64.5 Time: 25 mins, PPH: -155
Niagra Falls: 24 flights, Avg cost: 468.8, Avg profit: -108.8 Time: 40 mins, PPH: -163
Rideau Falls: 23 flights, Avg cost: 693.7, Avg profit: -164.7 Time: 60 mins, PPH: -165

@WolfAngus hat tip for finding my formula bug in PPH.
As of earlier (Feb 2018?):
For those interested, unformatted, here are the related total #'s of items used
Sparrow: Micro, Gear, Varnish, Sensor
Yellowstone (13): 16 5 5 3
Lake Baikal (10): 13 3 10 4
Snowdonia (10): 15 1 5 11
Fiordland (10): 10 3 12 13
Banff (10): 7 7 17 15

Crossbill: Valve, Pyramid, Swivel, Emerg, Drive, Tail
Iguazu (10): 3 14 2 6 15 7
Angel (10): 7 4 4 7 20 18
Victoria (10): 20 6 22 12 10 10
Niagra (10): 18 8 34 14 26 22
Rideau (10): 26 26 39 31 44 21

This is a summary of my studies so far. I only have L2 Helicopters, so its stopped at that. I will update this as we go along, but probably not again until 100 flights for each. The repetition in items seems steady at about 8 different combinations of materials for each flight, so while there may be some narrowing, after 100 it will likely be steady.

Average Cost assumes only the use of H Fuel at 5 units for 10 coins (2 min). Sparrows remain profitable (though in the 10s of coins per hour) at 18 for 55 coins (10 mins), but that's it. Any higher and even Sparrows are losing propositions.

As of 28 May 2018:
For Each Flight - # of flights forming the basis (this will stop at 100), Avg Cost, Avg Profit, Time for flight, Profit/Hr
Sparrow:
Yellowstone: 100 flights, Avg Cost: 42.4, Avg Profit: 7.6 Time: 4 mins, PPH: 114
Lake Baikal: 52 flights, Avg cost: 55.5, Avg profit: 9.5, Time: 6 mins, PPH: 95
Snowdonia: 50 flights, Avg cost: 70.6, Avg profit: 9.4, Time: 8 mins, PPH: 71
Fiordland: 50 flights, Avg cost: 86.0, Avg profit: 9.0, Time: 10 mins, PPH: 54
Banff: 50 flights, Avg cost: 102.5, Avg profit: 7.5, Time: 12 mins, PPH: 38

Crossbill:
Iguazu Falls: 49 flights, Avg cost: 188.8, Avg profit: -39.8 Time: 15 mins, PPH: -159
Angel Falls: 31 flights, Avg cost: 247.2, Avg profit: -56.2 Time: 20 mins, PPH: -168
Victoria Falls: 30 flights, Avg cost: 297.5, Avg profit: -64.5 Time: 25 mins, PPH: -155
Niagra Falls: 24 flights, Avg cost: 468.8, Avg profit: -108.8 Time: 40 mins, PPH: -163
Rideau Falls: 23 flights, Avg cost: 693.7, Avg profit: -164.7 Time: 60 mins, PPH: -165

@WolfAngus hat tip for finding my formula bug in PPH.
As of earlier (Feb 2018?):
For those interested, unformatted, here are the related total #'s of items used
Sparrow: Micro, Gear, Varnish, Sensor
Yellowstone (13): 16 5 5 3
Lake Baikal (10): 13 3 10 4
Snowdonia (10): 15 1 5 11
Fiordland (10): 10 3 12 13
Banff (10): 7 7 17 15

Crossbill: Valve, Pyramid, Swivel, Emerg, Drive, Tail
Iguazu (10): 3 14 2 6 15 7
Angel (10): 7 4 4 7 20 18
Victoria (10): 20 6 22 12 10 10
Niagra (10): 18 8 34 14 26 22
Rideau (10): 26 26 39 31 44 21

I agree with this post. I found the same thing. Helicopters just aren't worth it. Add helicopters into the mix, and you'll quickly give yourself carpal tunnel and either get yourself nowhere or even in the hole if you get plagued with weather incidents or choose to repair your helicopter by using items you've paid to produce instead of just waiting out the clock on the repair.

Never mind how much real estate it eats because there are six 2x2 buildings required to even get a helicopter off the ground, which is 24 squares, and that's if you don't add a second helicopter pad. That means you've eaten up just one tiny square shy of an entire expansion (5x5 so 25 squares) before you've even added any of squares required for the roads needed to go to those buildings and before you've added up the electricity they consume and counted the real estate you've devoted to generating that electricity, which even with a high-output coal plant is still going to be at least two squares. Before all is said and done, you've gobbled up an expansion and a half of your airport-side real estate, and considering that each 5x5 expansion costs 20 greenies and how their marginal cost in coins quickly becomes exorbitant, meaning that early-on cost on the airport side is actually costing you however much you've paid in coins or greenies for your most recent expansion. What's more, there's no getting that real estate back. Unlike other buildings, you can't sell, drop, or warehouse your helicopter facilities, so once built, they are there to stay. What I've done is cordoned them off all to one corner without roads or electricity, but there they sit, eating up 24 squares.

NOW, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THE HELICOPTER DOES BECOME QUITE PROFITABLE WHEN YOU GET SOMETHING LIKE A BUSINESS CLASS BONUS -- A BONUS THAT INCREASES YOUR REVENUE FROM FLIGHTS BY 50% OR DOUBLES THEM FOR HOWEVER LONG, MY MOST RECENT WAS 6 DAYS, SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, I UNCRATE MY HELICOPTER AND GET HER FLYING AGAIN BECAUSE WHILE RUNNING THE HELICOPTER NORMALLY HAS YOU BARELY BREAKING EVEN, WHEN THERE'S A BONUS, THE ENTIRE BONUS ENDS UP BEING PROFIT.