Notilltom, you sized it up well!     I'm a commercial helo applicator in MT.      Here is a pic or two,  I usually pack 100 gal. loads up in this country most of my work is from 1.5 to 5 gal per acre and I load off a truck as well.  I can avg. anywhere from 130 to 200 acres an hour.  Depends on size of fields and volume I'm putting down.   I've done lots of 180-190 ac/hr work, usually charge around 8-10$/acre.      That helo in that photo is a Bell OH-58A+ used to be used in the military, they have longer blades and so on that the Bell Jetranger but look very similar.   It has a 420 HP turbine engine that weighs 167lbs.  Pretty good power to weight ratio.

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