For William's eyes only!

[RotaryWingBob]

I don't know if you saw these NTSB reports, William, but they do motivate pilots to do a thorough preflight of the rotor head. It's not unique to Robbies either -- there was a 2000 accident in Canada where the main rotor separated in a B206B JetRanger II) because the mechanics had left off the mast nut, and the accident pilot didn't preflight the ship...


http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20070405X00374&key=1

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20050525X00675&key=1

(these new links should work)

 

[KennyFlys]

Bob, the links aren't working.

Nice avatar, by the way!

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Bob, the links aren't working.

Nice avatar, by the way!

Thanks. I fixed the links, BTW,

 

[KennyFlys]

Geeze, these flights were doomed. But preventable with one action... look at all fasteners possible, particularly flight controls. If it just came out of maintenance, look again. I have a feeling the mechs will pay on these but they were still preventable with a better preflight.

Bob, I know next to nothing about how a helo operates. I gather these are areas which are part of the preflight checklist? Where are they located in the R-44?

 

[RotaryWingBob]

Geeze, these flights were doomed. But preventable with one action... look at all fasteners possible, particularly flight controls. If it just came out of maintenance, look again. I have a feeling the mechs will pay on these but they were still preventable with a better preflight.

Bob, I know next to nothing about how a helo operates. I gather these are areas which are part of the preflight checklist? Where are they located in the R-44?

No Ken, they're not on the checklist. The area we're talking about is at the top of the rotor head -- the swash plate communicates stick movement to the rotor. There are 9 checklist items, but the coupling between the cyclic (stick) to the swashplate is not among them. I have asked our A&P to show us where the bolts in question are...