jetbox Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 If Bell engineers have any brains, they'll build an 120 lookalike but without the stupid stuff eurocopter put in it: more power, front windows that can be replaced without a special bonding process and a three day curing wait (whatever happened to good ol screws and nuts??) and so on. I've been bad mouthing Bell eversince I started working on Astars but I have to admit Eurocpter came up with some pretty idiotic ideas on what should otherwise have been a revolutionary helicopter!!! The EC120 is pretty a pretty spiffy A/C but not very bush friendly. Hopefully Bell will keep our industry in mind as they design these new helicpopters instead of catering to the American "airport to airport" market, like all the other manufacturers do! And another thing, there should be a law that prohibits any helicopter from having a main rotor head design that doesn't allow for blades removal in 50 seconds or less!!! (think Astars people!!!!!!!) Anyway, end of rant!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highbladedown Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 At least with Bell there isn't a new AD coming out every other day....the 350's have been out since the late 70's and there is still AD after AD coming out. We took delivery of three of them when I was Kenting in 79/80 and even then there was a wack of AD's. HBD..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amodao Posted March 22, 2004 Report Share Posted March 22, 2004 Highbladedown, Did you forget about the 407? The early A-stars were engined with American Lycomings? Why ruin a perfectly good helicopter with a useless tank engine! :down: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
407 Driver Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Nothing out yet, even on justhelicopters. Newspapers have reported that the 407 accident happened at 02:19 AM in heavy thundershowers/lightning/rain, but no indication if it was weather, mechanical or ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweaker Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 I heard that weather was the cause. It was a patient transfer. There was one survivor, a nurse. The pilot, medic, mother of patient and baby were all killed. Really a very sad situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclic monkey Posted March 23, 2004 Report Share Posted March 23, 2004 Though we don't know the exact details of this incident, it does sound similar to many other past tragedies in the U.S.... night VFR medevac for profit bad weather unlit landscape single pilot single engine It all sounds as scary as a certain Helicopter Pilots Association I have heard of..... I don't want to sign-on for either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomex Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Read in a press article that the NTSB believe things were turning and working when it crashed - just their initial scene exam.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetbox Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 I'm sure as to how a second engine would've helped in this situation??!? Either way, it sucks!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
widgeon Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 I am sure the best safety feature is a second pilot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclic monkey Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 It's twice as safe, because there's twice as many people to say NO !! I don't fly VFR at 2:19 am through thunder, lightning and rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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