Longranger Advice

[dimit]

Ya might lean towards 250 lbs/hr for that L1 C28, jest to be on the safe side. I put the LR C20 @ 200 lbs/hr.

 

Certain gas company operating in the vicinity of Cold Lake Air Weapons Range got dinged hard by the EUB (Energy Utility Board) a few years back and I spent many a happy day slinging bags of contaminated soil w/ an L1 C30. SSSSMMMOOOOOOTH! On manup out of Heart Twr had the crew trim back the trees along the road, though. Wouldn't have that worry w/ an Astar...

 

Not to turn the thread into a Bell vs Eurocopter debacle. Please, no!

 

D

[kjw57]

Flew an L3 for about 7 yrs. and I'd have to say all the remarks about the "L" series are right on. Fuel system is not that complicated and will never give you BIG problems as long as you keep fuel in it and time your consumption, but we all do that regardless of type right? The C of G does change somewhat as fuel is burnt but as long as your loaded as per the manual it won't be a problem. It's slow to respond to collective and likes a light touch, but within limits it'll do what the manual claims and a little bit more if your patient. Watch your starts as it dosen't take much throttle to get it going and inadvertantly shutting one off during a start is not unkown. The amount of throttle required changes with OAT's and altitude just slightly so get it lit then push it up to starting temp. watching for the secondary light off.

Plan ahead and know what you'll want of the A/C before you ask for it and things generally work out pretty good. Power checks with the C30's usually require some good altittudes to get the bleed valve closed, so watch your airspace.

 

Great aircraft, can use it for just about any kind of work, anywhere.

 

 

 

 

[ray]

Power checks with the C30's usually require some good altittudes to get the bleed valve closed, so watch your airspace

 

Did one once with the chief pilot, and had to get up to 10 000 feet to get the bleed valve to close. The clouds were thin and around us. I started having panic attacks.

Just don't like that in a helicopter!

[DGP]

Try doing a power check in a 205 if you want to go into orbit...we tried doing one with only 2 people on board...was +30 C on the ground...started to wonder why I was getting cold at about 10,000 feet...ground elevation was 800 feet...did an auto to get back down....lots of time to look for a good spot

[Daz]

Great thread. Thanks!

- Darren

[helicopterjim]

Try doing a power check in a 205 if you want to go into orbit...we tried doing one with only 2 people on board...was +30 C on the ground...started to wonder why I was getting cold at about 10,000 feet...ground elevation was 800 feet...did an auto to get back down....lots of time to look for a good spot

 

Power check or topping check? Big difference.

[WTF_was_that]

They need a better chart, for those power checks. major pain. Center controllers really don't like talking with a heli.

[DGP]

Sorry was a topping chech on the 205

[CJM91]

I don't have too much experience with the L types but have heard lots of stories about collective bounce including the one here: "...one of the clevises that was knuckled under let go with a jolt. Because I had full power on the nodal beam set up a resonance between the rotor system and the load. It was a violent vertical hump that was taking me out of the seat. Lucky I just put the load down and in getting rid of the power the resonance settled down." - Max Continuous.

 

Is it a frequent event? Does it occur spontaneously? I've heard of tail booms breaking off after a few vertical cycles.

 

Cheers . . . . . .

[RB]

watabeg lake eh? i didn't know there was a fire base there. I fly into there on occasion though.