Prop strike - what gets inspected?

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Dave Taylor
Not so fast, you with your easy answers at the ready!
I was thinking of that Reklaw video where the R44 trimmed some....errant pine boughs.

What gets done to a helo when it has a main rotor strike? Yes, the rotor blades & attachments, but what else...
Does the vertical shaft and all it's bearings, components need to be looked at?
Maybe in some helos the tail rotor is direct-drive off the main shaft and 'sudden stoppage' of the main rotor can damage the tail gearbox?
I think in most piston helos the engine is isolated from such events by pulleys and belts?

-Non-rotor guy who's just curious.
 
Non-rotor guy who's just curious.
Every helicopter I've worked on has special inspection requirements on various events: M/R sudden stoppage, T/R stoppage, Over-speed, Over-torque, Hard-landing, etc. Most inspections come with a definition of the event. Where no definition is given there usually is a statement by the OEM to contact them. And the airframe inspections are always separate from the engine OEM inspections, so one must check both manual on occasion.

While I prefer to stay away from Robbies, those inspection requirements would be found in Paragraph 2.530 here:
https://robinsonheli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/r44_mm_2.pdf

Similar inspections on turbine helicopters are usually more in depth.
 
Take the heli to a local recycling facility and purchase another one
 
Ouch! Rob-in-son sure got their name right! After what, 2k hours or so the whole helicopter has to be rebuilt.
 
Ouch! Rob-in-son sure got their name right! After what, 2k hours or so the whole helicopter has to be rebuilt.
There is a price to pay for maintaining a flying machine that constantly tries to self-destruct!
 
2k hours or so the whole helicopter has to be rebuilt.
12 years whichever comes first
Not necessarily. It depends on which inspection program is selected. You can maintain any helicopter, piston or turbine, on a Part D 100/Annual inspection program provided it's Part 91 just like a fixed wing. However, all helicopters usually have an extensive Airworthiness Limitations section which is mandatory per 43.16 and that listing have various 12 year/2200hr items. But it is not necessary to comply with the OEM 12yr/2200hr inspection in order to meet the requirements of the Limitations section.

The R22 was designed as an ultra cheap trainer, 50% cheaper when compared to most other initial training helicopters. So from a DOC point of view in the training market it is untouchable. It does have new competition in the Cabri G2, but even though it has conventional controls and a more conventional inspection program it's still $100K more than a R22. You'd be surprised how cheap a R22 operates when compared to some of the aircraft flown by POA owners.
 
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At our local airport it was the drivers license of the garbage truck driver that got checked.
MedEvac helicopter on its pad and the garbage truck hit the rotor, one blade replaced at about $60k as I recall and the rest inspected.
 
At our local airport it was the drivers license of the garbage truck driver that got checked.
MedEvac helicopter on its pad and the garbage truck hit the rotor, one blade replaced at about $60k as I recall and the rest inspected.
Yo. That’s a whole lotta cake!!
 
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