Bell407 Vs 350b2

[Jet B]

We have a Tanis on ours and it makes no difference.

 

The only way to really understand what an L-4 high altitude tail rotor feels like in cold temperatures would be to maybe take a 407 out in cold weather and turn off the hydraulics. That's how your pedals will feel all the time.

 

I have been flying this thing for a week now at temps around -30C... I think I'm ready to kickstart that Norton Commando now.

 

I still end up looking like the village idiot when I land with a cross wind or tail wind. It just takes getting used to when you usually fly a machine with boosted pedals.

[DGP]

Just did another 18 hrs in3 days...feels like I just ran the Boston marathon...frozen grease in the boot would explain a lot cause ours are always full of grease and oil...and don't ever cut a drainhole in the boot like everyone else does...thats a no no from the Bell people

[Spitzair]

Just did another 18 hrs in3 days...feels like I just ran the Boston marathon...frozen grease in the boot would explain a lot cause ours are always full of grease and oil...and don't ever cut a drainhole in the boot like everyone else does...thats a no no from the Bell people

But always ensure that the excess grease gets cleaned out if you don't cut a hole. Had an LR come in one day for an inspection. Pilot told me a few days earlier he had a T/R chip light and had cleaned the plug and shoved it back in and no problem since. The sight glass showed full of oil. I went to drain the oil and about 5 drops came out, sight glass still showed full. Took the chip plug socket right out to see WTF, empty!!! No oil in the gearbox at all! Turns out that the grease from inside the boot had gotten squeezed into the gearbox over time and had clogged up the little hole in the bottom of the sight glass and the oil got trapped in there giving a false full indication! Pilot turned white as freshly fallen snow when I showed him!

[Black Mike]

QUOTE (Jet B @ Dec 14 2009, 03:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We have a Tanis on ours and it makes no difference.

 

The only way to really understand what an L-4 high altitude tail rotor feels like in cold temperatures would be to maybe take a 407 out in cold weather and turn off the hydraulics. That's how your pedals will feel all the time.

 

I have been flying this thing for a week now at temps around -30C... I think I'm ready to kickstart that Norton Commando now.

 

I still end up looking like the village idiot when I land with a cross wind or tail wind. It just takes getting used to when you usually fly a machine with boosted pedals.

 

Jet B,

 

I'm glad to see you are getting your exercise. I did a flight with ours- minus 27, still not too bad- I wonder if your friction is too tight- we backed ours off to the minimum in the book. All you need is a fish weigh scale and a couple wrenches. Ours set at about 7 lbs pull. Also ours is the latest kit- installed on our new L-4 delivered april 2009. There are a couple different kit numbers. I believe 6-10 lbs is the book setting.

I have 300 hours flying on this machine and no problems after it was set up to minimum. It did take 100 hours to get used to it and fine now- no big deal. Also I don't fly any other aircraft and this makes a big difference. Sure is nice at 10,000 feet on a warm windy day when the regular tailrotor machine heading (L-4) has to be adjusted with your collective. I also got used to this procedure, just don't land downwind.

 

By the way, I could use help starting my Norton, especially at minus 30. Even the 75 Commando has an electric start and this needs help with the kickstarter when you press the button.

B.M.

[Jet B]

Jet B,

 

I'm glad to see you are getting your exercise. I did a flight with ours- minus 27, still not too bad- I wonder if your friction is too tight- we backed ours off to the minimum in the book. All you need is a fish weigh scale and a couple wrenches. Ours set at about 7 lbs pull. Also ours is the latest kit- installed on our new L-4 delivered april 2009. There are a couple different kit numbers. I believe 6-10 lbs is the book setting.

I have 300 hours flying on this machine and no problems after it was set up to minimum. It did take 100 hours to get used to it and fine now- no big deal. Also I don't fly any other aircraft and this makes a big difference. Sure is nice at 10,000 feet on a warm windy day when the regular tailrotor machine heading (L-4) has to be adjusted with your collective. I also got used to this procedure, just don't land downwind.

 

By the way, I could use help starting my Norton, especially at minus 30. Even the 75 Commando has an electric start and this needs help with the kickstarter when you press the button.

B.M.

 

 

Thanks for the info BM, I will talk to the engineers about the friction settings. This is a fairly low hour L4 and the tail rotor is the greaseless type that looks like a 407 one.

 

I just never thought it could be a friction problem because when the aircraft is shut down the pedals feel normal and loose, at an idle they feel similar to a jetranger, but at 100% they get very heavy. I assumed it was the centrifugal force causing the pitch change bearings to tighten up. This is the only L-4 I have flown so I have nothing to compare it to.

 

I'm sure a big part of the problem is that I usually fly the machines with boosted pedals and when you get on this thing it takes a couple weeks to get used to the different feel. I can believe that it's worth having this tailrotor at high density altitudes though, heavy pedals are better than no tail rotor authority.

 

[DGP]

Usually if you are getting grease in the oil it will turn black but thanks for the info on how you can end up with no oil even with it showing full...we use to pull the sight glasses out everytime when changing oil on bell medium gearboxes...might have to start doing that on the L and 407 as they both are pushing grease and oil into the boots even after changing the seals twice...and if I here anyone say...oh your putting the seals in backwards we already heard that from bell and can 3 or 4 different guys do the same thing when warned in advance...I think not...bell says they are having issues with these seals...engineering is looking into it....heard that almost 2 years ago

[T-rex]

YAWN....... I flew a Bell once, a long time ago....

Now, for a tailrotor its a AS355N version, boosted pedals, no problems...

 

Anyways, back to the Bell story telling...

[Black Mike]

YAWN....... I flew a Bell once, a long time ago....

Now, for a tailrotor its a AS355N version, boosted pedals, no problems...

 

Until the boost fails, then no more yawn.

B.M.