Roll Up

[Helilog56]

Hey Bob,how else could you do it other than a run up in the morn before your customer shows? not always convinient

 

Convenience should never compromise safety......what is not written in CARS, an RFM, SOP, etc, does not alleviate a pilot from using common sense and knowledge too keep "all" from potential risk !

 

Situational awareness is paramount.

[Daz]

Bummer of an incident, but glad to hear everyone's OK.

 

It is the pre load on the spherical thrust bearings in the astar that causes the collective to want to climb.

 

So I suspect that the collect lock was probably not adjusted properly thus when the hydraulic switch is turn off and the "jump" in collective occurs the lock disengages and the collective comes up and over she goes.

 

Before testing the hydraulics on an Astar I always give the collective a tug to check the lock, then grip the collective with my arm braced while turning off the hydraulics.

 

Dumb rookie question: When performing the hydraulic check in an A-Star and the collective lock is disengaged or faulty, would the collective climb/jerk with considerable force?

 

Never flown an A-Star, but it sounds like good info to save to the ol' grey matter hard drive (in case I do fly one someday).

 

- Darren

[Jammed left]

Bummer of an incident, but glad to hear everyone's OK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dumb rookie question: When performing the hydraulic check in an A-Star and the collective lock is disengaged or faulty, would the collective climb/jerk with considerable force?

 

Never flown an A-Star, but it sounds like good info to save to the ol' grey matter hard drive (in case I do fly one someday).

 

- Darren

 

 

Yep...it would jump up and the forces are there...a good strong arm could hold it down, but you'd have to be expecting it to hold it down.

[Daz]

Yep...it would jump up and the forces are there...a good strong arm could hold it down, but you'd have to be expecting it to hold it down.

 

Duly noted - I guess the prudent thing to do here is exactly what Dick suggested.

 

Hydraulics-off emergency drills must be a handful in these machines?

 

- Darren

[369fff]

Glad no one was hurt......but I can not help but wonder, if doing hydraulic systems check with passengers on board is a good idea ???!!??

[369fff]

Hey Bob just wondered how you used to do the hydraulic check with the astar you flew?, and would you have your passengers stay out of the machine untill done or would it be prudent to have them sitting in the Heli with you

 

Cheers

[Helilog56]

Hey Bob just wondered how you used to do the hydraulic check with the astar you flew?, and would you have your passengers stay out of the machine untill done or would it be prudent to have them sitting in the Heli with you

 

Cheers

 

Been a few years flying any Euro products for sure....the hydraulics check was taught to me by Eurocopter (Richard Airlie) as per the flight manual when I picked up a brand new B2 back in 98.

I stand by my "no passengers on board" mindset knowing what I was shown back then!

[skullcap]

Well in some ways it makes sense but I look at on the number of jobs have been on lately and think "where would it have been safe to have the passengers waiting and things go south?" Yep no hanger anywhere. So would rather have them onboard than outside being attacked by the plastic flak.

 

Now that the flight manual is revised to do the check at idle then there is not an issue with the machine flying away on its own so chillax.

[rotorheadrob]

Hyd check on Astar are now done at 100% nr, not for this cowboy though. It cant fly at idle, and gov will not be active so nr would just droop.

 

rob

[chopper_guy]

Hyd check on Astar are now done at 100% nr, not for this cowboy though. It cant fly at idle, and gov will not be active so nr would just droop.

 

rob

It seems pretty obvious to me that the safest place to be in the event s--t happens during a hydraulic check is inside the helicopter. I don't want anyone to be outside when blade shrapnel is flying in all directions. Also, Aerospacial requires hydraulic checks to be done before every take-off due to the multitude and seriousness of hydraulic malfunctions so leaving the helicopter is not practical. The number one item on the hydraulic checklist is ' ensure collective lock is ON' !!!