Make New Discoveries

We are redefining the route to market for innovative helicopters

Argo Aero has pioneered a reimagined approach to delivering and supporting safe, exciting private light helicopters.

Light helicopter owners fall into two broad categories – private and commercial users. While an aircraft may meet performance requirements for both, private owners demand far more modern technology, greater luxury, frequent product refreshes, and notably different support compared to their commercial operator counterparts. Dual Role Approval Model allows us to best serve the needs of both distinctly different users with two variants of the same aircraft. SCOUT VLR (Very Light Rotorcraft) serves private owners while SCOUT C (commercial) focuses on professional users. Both aircraft are essentially identical, each meeting the latest EASA and FAA certification standards for small/normal category rotorcraft and both entirely factory assembled in our European aerospace manufacturing facility at EPSJ airfield Poland. SCOUT VLR – two seater is not sold with a type certificate but it receives an initial type approval from the CAA to the latest certification standards of EASA CS-27, meets FAA Part 27 and is provided to customers with an amateur-built airworthiness approval. Each aircraft will be factory constructed during a two-week fully supported build course in the Poland. SCOUT C – three seater commercial variant, will be offered with a traditional type certificate, with the initial certification being provided by the CAA and subsequent type validations and acceptances following around the world.

Certification Vs Safety

Certification does not make an aircraft any safer than one designed, manufactured, maintained, and operated in accordance with the certification standards. Certification simply means an aviation authority officially confirms the aircraft meets required airworthiness standards. In the case of privately operated aircraft, there is much more to delivering and operating a holistically safe aircraft than meeting certification requirements. The aircraft must meet the form, function, and safety needs of its end-users. Private owners are often inexperienced pilots, and their aircraft should focus on their needs – benign handling qualities, resilience to low-g conditions, excellent stability, high power reserves, realistic payload for user requirements, robust crashworthiness, and ease of operation with minimum pilot workload. The traditional approach to certification inhibits developing innovative new technologies and systems that meet these needs. Manufacturers turn to older, pre-approved components to minimize the cost, complexity, and timescales of certification. This unfortunately limits the ability to deliver safe aircraft. Every SCOUT helicopter meets the latest EASA and FAA certification standards for LIGHT category rotorcraft and is built in Polish factory. With SCOUT VLR, we fuse the highest levels of VLR airworthiness from the latest certification standards with the UL type approval process found in amateur-built aircraft. SCOUT C, which is essentially the same aircraft, produced in the same factory, is offered to the market somewhat later, with a full type certificate enabling commercial use. The dual role approval model allows the innovative SCOUT L to meet the highest possible safety standards while being brought to market faster and with lower overall costs, improving the safety and affordability of all light helicopters.

Scout Vlr – The Ideal Option For Private Owners

For private owners, the SCOUT VLR cost model is nothing short of revolutionary. Calendar depreciation is essentially eliminated with a long 2,000-hour, on-condition TBO and no 12-year aircraft and engine overhaul requirement. Argo Aero commitment to low ongoing maintenance and insurance costs drive down the remaining fixed costs, allowing the majority of entry-level private helicopter owners to keep their aircraft to themselves and avoid the perils and uncertainty of leaseback.

Benefits Of The Scout Vlr

  • Delivers hi end safety for private owner-operators by exceeding the highest certification standards and delivering an aircraft focused on the needs of inexperienced, or infrequently flying private pilots
  • Each aircraft is backed by an industry-leading 2,000-hour, 3-year nose-to-tail warranty
  • Modern, high performance, and cost-effective aircraft
  • Affordable purchase price
  • Dramatically lower operating costs
  • Owner-operator can be approved to perform preventative maintenance
  • High long-term resale value
  • Calendar depreciation eliminated
  • Factory-built
  • Comprehensive hands-on factory training
  • Flexibility for owner and factory to update aircraft with advanced features

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the SCOUT VLR a kit helicopter?

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No. Traditional kit-built helicopters give you the option to build the aircraft yourself away from the controlled environment of a factory with little supervision. The SCOUT can only be built here in Argo Aero aerospace manufacturing facility, modern production equipment and carefully controlled production processes, while all owners are supported and led by our highly trained production staff. The SCOUT purchase agreement requires owner-operators to participate in our comprehensive workshop at the factory to complete the aircraft while learning invaluable skills and understanding of the aircraft, its systems, and how to ensure it remains in airworthy condition. Our philosophy is to deliver not only a luxury helicopter like no other, but also an ownership experience that increases your knowledge, skill, understanding, and, above all, safety.

Does an amateur-built/experimental aircraft category mean the SCOUT doesn’t meet certifications standards?

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Not at all. In order to demonstrate the airworthiness of the SCOUT, Argo Aero is required to comply fully with EASA CS-27 Small Rotorcraft (UK/European) and FAA CFR Part 27 Normal Category Rotorcraft (US) regulations, both of which are the latest certification standards for normal category rotorcraft, as harmonised around the world by ICAO. These are the exact standards that any new certified helicopter would be required to meet to demonstrate airworthiness. The only factor that distinguishes SCOUT from a traditionally certified aircraft is we have elected to involve the owners in the manufacturing process, since a core part of our product offering is that not only are we selling a great helicopter, but we are equipping pilots with the skills and knowledge they need to be safe and astute helicopter owner-operators

Is the SCOUT as safe as a certified helicopter?

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We would argue that it is safer. The SCOUT fully complies with EASA and FAA airworthiness regulations and certification requirements. Certification itself does not make the aircraft any safer than an aircraft that is designed, manufactured, maintained, and operated in accordance with the certified standards. In recognizing the primary customer base for the SCOUT VLR is private owners, who on the whole are not inherently high time pilots, we have chosen to take a holistic approach to increasing safety.
First, we designed a brand-new helicopter from the ground up, simplifying systems and integrating new technology to improve safety. We then designed a carefully choreographed two-week factory workshop where each owner will learn first-hand through assisting licensed engineers/mechanics in assembling their aircraft. Through this process they will receive unparalleled insight into the inner workings of their aircraft, the manufacturing process, and the rationale behind aircraft operating procedures and limitations that are so often misunderstood by pilots. Armed with this insight and knowledge, owner operators will leave the factory and enter SCOUT ownership with a considerable advantage and safety awareness compared to most private helicopter owners flying today

Can I fly the SCOUT in my country?

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Yes! Argo Aero submits all applications to receive unrestricted operational approval beyond private operation for the aircraft in each country where it is purchased. The SCOUT full compliance with the recognized certification standards along with enhanced fulfillment of the amateur-built requirements, including approved maintenance and training programs, will help expedite the process and secure approval in your country.

What are the differences between the SCOUT VLR and the SCOUT C?

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When it comes to the aircraft itself, we aim to have no differences excluding the number of occupants and MTOW weight limitations. The SCOUT VLR is designed, developed, manufactured, and tested to the exact same FAA and EASA airworthiness regulations and certification standards as the SCOUT C, which are more stringent than most light helicopters flying today due to their certification under much older regulations. Owners of each aircraft can fly day and night VFR. The difference is in the execution of the production process. Under the amateur-built regulations, owners of new SCOUT VLR aircraft are required to complete 51% of the aircraft themselves, which owners achieve over a two-week period in our factory under the supervision of licensed professionals. In addition, the aircraft can only be operated privately, not for commercial operations. We also offer a much more attractive warranty for the SCOUT VLR. The SCOUT VLR comes with a 2,000-hour, 3-year warranty. The SCOUT C will feature a conventional commercial 1-year, 1,000-hour warranty. Another difference is price. Because the considerable costly overhead of certification is not tied to the price, the SCOUT VLR is significantly less expensive than the SCOUT C. The final difference is the timing. The SCOUT VLR is ready to fly now, while the SCOUT C is anticipated in 2025.

Does Argo Aero amateur-built/experimental category short cut regulations?

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Absolutely not. All aircraft, from a single seat homebuilt to the A380, have to follow strict airworthiness and certification requirements. The SCOUT VLR meets all the latest EASA and FAA requirements pertaining to light helicopters, which in most cases are much stricter than the light helicopters flying today that were certified under much older rules. One key difference within the amateur-built/experimental category is the owner’s involvement in the construction process. While this category does allow owner-operators to construct their amateur-built aircraft at home and with limited supervision, Argo Aero absolutely forbids this practice. All our aircraft are fully constructed in our factory under direct supervision of licensed professionals. This way we can ensure the highest level of safety, quality, and airworthiness to ensure your complete customer satisfaction. Since certification best suits commercial operations and more than 80% of light helicopters are privately owned, we believe offering our quality SCOUT using the amateur-built/experimental category aircraft is the best way to deliver an innovative, safe aircraft at an affordable purchase and operating price.

Will the SCOUT VLR be discontinued after the SCOUT C is certified?

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No. In fact, the SCOUT VLR is our focus and we plan to continue to drive innovation with SCOUT VLR, introducing new models far more often than the SCOUT C. Without the cost-prohibitive obstacle of certification, we anticipate updating the SCOUT VLR every 5 to 10 years as new features and technology become available and are proven in aerospace. The SCOUT VLR allows us to continue to innovate and break new boundaries in general aviation where a traditional certification approach would not. We anticipate the SCOUT C will be updated far less often due to the cost and time investment for certification.