Ec130

[Roo]

Hi All,

Looking for some feedback from anyone who has heliskied in a 130?

I have ran the numbers and it appears to be better than the 407 once you hit some altitude and when the temp climbs. I have never flown a fenestron ship and the fact that you sit on the left side may take some getting use to as a ski pilot (site picture).

An feedback would be appreciated.

[Stiffy]

I'm no expert, in fact, not even a heli pilot, and this may be 2nd maybe even 3rd hand, but someone mentioned to me that the 130 had some flexing issues with its wide composite fuselage when sitting on un-even landing sites, and corresponding door latching issues.

 

S

[Hazy]

The 130 has a 3 point landing gear and it does move underneath. I don't know about the body flexing, never heard about that. Did see some door latching damage caused by misusing the door. If they are rigged right and used properly, shouldn't pose any difficulty.

[MMike]

I wish you could delete your own posts. **self moderated***

and it was NOT a smart-*** comment. just inaccurate.

[SuddenStop]

knowing what I know, and according to some it's sweet F-all, yet I'm not convinced heli skiing in a 130, landing in deep soft powder is going to flex the floor all that much. Its like flopping your fat girlfriend onto the water bed. She probably likes that better than bending her over the lazy boy with one thundering thigh over your shoulder.

That being said, the floor frame is basically the same as the 350B3, although widened, and appropriately re-enforced. I highly doubt the flexing, if noticeable, is causing any problems.

 

For those that fly the 130, and land on uneven ground, do you notice gaps around the doors? that would be a realtime check to know if your floor is flexing.

[Three_Per]

Not a pilot but I have it on good authority that pedal authority at high altitudes with a fenistron could be a problem. While trying to keep that massive fin pointed in the direction you want it you may run out of pedal.

 

Also from a non flying point of view the basket is a C%&$, and the pitot tube(s) are on the bottom. The only advantage I can see over a B3 is the extra 2 people you can Jam in there.

[pilot5]

Not a pilot but I have it on good authority that pedal authority at high altitudes with a fenistron could be a problem. While trying to keep that massive fin pointed in the direction you want it you may run out of pedal.

 

Also from a non flying point of view the basket is a C%&$, and the pitot tube(s) are on the bottom. The only advantage I can see over a B3 is the extra 2 people you can Jam in there.

 

 

Dont mean to thread drift here, but I was wondering if any of the experienced heliski pilots here could outline the difference in heliskiing and say dropping crews toe in at 7000-8000 feet in mid winter in loose powder ( with gear in the basket to unload)) and without a flag or reference and entering white out.

 

Can some please explain to the huge operational diferences apart from the fact that that the crew on board is going skiing and has skis?

 

Thanks

 

P5

[skullcap]

John...One would be using reference to land and one would be done by perhaps,,,,magic...if you mean by using the mountain as reference then there is no difference other than perhaps one is doing a recreational activity and one is not....shall I go on? What is your point and perhaps a less rediculous response would arrive.

 

Poor Roo, asks a simple question and the only answer he gets which is acceptable is quite "Hazy"(no offense meant btw) the rest are from an AME, a pinky engineer, a medic and a stiffy,,,alas the issues of our industry(oh, oh, oh that is supposed to be funny there panty man)

 

The site picture from left is only different if you are looking at stakes on right, so the stakes have to put on left. The aircraft can supposedly fly 50 knts sideways. The 130 is a heavy aircraft thus does not have the payload available compared to b3 but if went lllllllight on fuel would be fine I would think. Older models were the heavy ones and thus rather useless for this but apparently just the first so many serial numbers were that way and newer ones are substantially lighter. But everyone hangs cheeks/pods, god knows what else off them and they are like superstops girlfriends;)

[Skidmark]

I don't have a huge amount of time in them but I know guys who both love and hate them. In the mountains that fenestron takes some getting used to. It doesn't bite into the air like a tailrotor, there is a bit of a delay and a mushy feeling to it. Something you'll probably want to get used to first. The pilot was also the last thing Eurocopter thought of when they designed that helicopter. I found the ergonomics of that thing terrible. Again though, I'm sure its something you can get used to. Also keep in mind that if you plan on doing any training in it, the training pilot sits in the middle seat. I could see this being a problem for the trainer maintaining reference in a ski environment.

[MMike]

All I was going to say is that the 407 has many more ski basket options out on the market. This is likely a secondary consideration. But still.....

 

I've only ever been in one EC130 and the instrument panel shook like crazy. Are they all like that?