kopterdoc

Heard Ralph passed away Saturday in Mexican hospital.

I was also having trouble with the 407 m/r until a guy at Alpine told me to ignore the track. From then on I have always told the balancing equipment to do balance only and it has worked every time since then with very few runs. This works very well with the 8500. I repeat, do not install the camera, do not paint the bottom of the blades and on initial setup turn off the track. Don't worry about the track on a 407. That is for 2 bladed Bells. Unless you are installing new or repaired blades, only then I would track them first and then do balance.

I was informed years ago by Transport that an impaired conviction results in losing your licence to operate "all motorized vehicles" including snowmobiles,quads,cars and aircraft.

We have basically the same problems as dgp's previous message. The tabs on the blades do crack but only from frequent tab adjusting and if you follow the maintenance manual are easy to change. We have changed some overnight. Fuel boost pump pressure switches can also be a problem if refueling from barrels in the field or around dusty/sand areas. We have also had two episodes of hydraulic servos chattering in longlining hovering but again they are easy to change once you figure out which one is causing the problem. Over all the 407 is pretty reliable.

Training flight ends badly for crew while doing float training. One Jetranger wrote off. See Cadors report for Nov.16

We have operated two Bell 407's at -40 and colder ( with Jet A-1)for the last two winters and had no problem with the heaters keeping up. They are both equipped with Air Comm heaters though and Tanis preheat kits as well. And just for info. when operating in these cold conditions, the smoke that comes out of your exhaust will make you think you blew an oil seal but actually it is normal.

Apparently the chaps in Australia have different rules and operators are using the thixogrease in the Bell 206 m/r heads instead of mobil 28 or aeroshell 22 and have had no more brinelling problems with the yokes and Bell is looking into this as an alternative. Back on topic plastilube can be purchased with or without moly and some feel that the straight plastilube is best.

I have a bit of experience with some drip torches from raptured high and we have made several mods to the ignition system to increase the spark and added a wind deflector to the nozzle and modified the check valve at the end nozzle. I think I saw a manual with it in the box the other day. I will check again and maybe I can scan it into my computer.

we have switched from Avbase to SaSims and wish we hadn't. Way too much paper, each item is a separate work card and needs initials and signatures on the bottom for every little thing. It also has trouble keeping track of events like your last 50 hr insp. if you call it event 2 or event 3 then event 4 should be 50 hrs later but SaSims tracks it from the last event 4 which ends up being wrong. Plus you have to be hooked up to the internet constantly and its server keeps dropping you and you need to log in again every time.

We have a filter kit on our L1 with a C30P and yes it works great. Also had the problem with the warning light coming on with snow deflectors installed but now there is a fix. We contacted the manufacturer and he said that with the snow deflectors on it changes the air flow behind the filter causing a false reading. The manufacturer sent us a relocation kit for the sensor and you have to move it forward an inch and a half and change some fittings and now it works with the baffles installed. Even their drawings were wrong but their pictures in the relocation kit were right and I contacted them to correct this for future kits. If you are a canadian operator with a filter kit on a bell product and plan to use snow deflectors you will need this kit.

Things are still booming in Saskatchewan. Lots of drill companies still looking for machines to move drills and fires have been steady so far this year. Helps to be at the right place, right time.

I was an employee with these guys back then and still am. Glad the old S55's are gone but they were pretty good for moving bulk and as far as ease of working on the old girls they weren't too bad. Some of the 206's are still A and W but that is changing. Huge changes going on here right now. Doubled the fleet in one year and still getting more. Tons of work in Saskabush right now. Old Morse Grant passed away a few years ago, but Jim Munro and Cliff Thompson are still kicking around. Seen many people get their start here and some still keep in touch.

We just put the E and B kit in our 407. It took the avionics guy about 5 hours to put it in and it is very light weight and seems to work great.

That black soot is pretty normal in Jetranger, just accumulates after a while from the downwash/exhaust and is attrached by the static build up on the windows.

Bell is calling operators to find out who is interested if Bell in Texas offers a 205 maintenance course in the new year. Anyone interested is to call their local tech rep. as they think they have enough operators interested now to set it up.