Blade Strike

[OLD BULL]

I heard a jetranger based out of whitecourt had a blade strike the other day.....and after the stick went through the main blade it damaged the tail rotor beyond limits...so does this constitute sudden stopidge??

 

Because they replaced the blade and the machine went flying again........

[downwash]

there must always be some deceleration force, even under normal flying.

 

Mags, I'd make that, "especially under 'normal' flying." Here, we include in our interpretation of Bell's requirements that any damage requiring replacement of main or tail rotor blades constitutes 'sudden stoppage' and calls for inspection of the entire drive train. This kind of sloppy, or even negligent, management is what keeps the industry's image much less than it ought to be. Operators like this should be reported, especially by users like the Alberta government, and T.C. and the manufacturer judge the sin, and the punishment.

[Uncommanded LoadRelease]

I heard a jetranger based out of whitecourt had a blade strike the other day.....and after the stick went through the main blade it damaged the tail rotor beyond limits...so does this constitute sudden stopidge??

 

Because they replaced the blade and the machine went flying again........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From what I heard...... the Engineer was out there till very late doing a evaluation of the drive train including a bunch of ground-runs etc.... I doubt if the local Whitecourt operator is taking any chances these days. Word on the street is that they are playing so much by the book it's painful... .....

Sniff....sniff.... I smell a bitter ex employee

Don't belive the pot-stirring OLD BULL

[T-rex]

Blade strikes are a reality of our business! Let's hope without speculation that the operator involved has done the proper maintenace with accordance to the company and aircraft maintenace manuals....

 

Hey Mag

 

What does your email footer really say?...my universal translater translates......"when I grow up I wanna be a helicopter pilot, not a panty wearing engineer" !?!?!? Is this true???

[skywrench1]

If, in fact, the main blades needed to be replaced and the tail blades were damaged it is difficult to believe this is anything but a full blown sudden stoppage for both rotor systems. The 206 MM clearly states if the t/r leading edge/blade skin incur any damage or the main blade skins are punctured, buckled, distorted etc, all the bonded t/r d/shafts are scrap, the t/r hub and blades are scrap and the t/r g/box requires overhaul. As for the m/r sudden stoppage it would then require conditional overhaul of the entire rotor and drivetrain systems. That, or I'm completely whacked and need to change my decision making process and save my employer a ton of cash in lieu of doing the right thing. Discounting the incident being discussed here, we've all witnessed the lows of the industry when it comes to this, it is frustrating and sure makes it hard to compete with the less than ethical. Enough ranting on my part.

 

Cheers - sky1

[FUDNUF]

I think some people need to read the books a little more closely.

[407 too]

can i throw a shade of grey in ??

 

in a previous life, as a teen, working for a couple of days as a fuel barrel swamper at a fire in Grande Cache AB, there was an S-55 that had to have the t/r replaced because there was a small bolt that had been picked up and hit by the t/r. i saw the mark on the blade, you could see the thread and part of the head inpression on the leading edge.

 

considering the mass of the small bolt i would gesture that this would not fall under sudden stoppage, but does fall under the definition of skin, leading edge damage as skywrench1 states.... i am not an engineer, but how would the rest of you classify this,, sudden stoppage or not ??

[OLD BULL]

so was this accident reported does anyone know?

 

It's been pretty hush hush so far

[Uncommanded LoadRelease]

A little bird tells me it went through the appropriate channels including a call to the NTSB and a report submitted to TC. This is standard procedure.

[DGP]

Is it just me ....or do we think this is the first time anyone has heard of such practice of self interpritation of the MM's...I think not....here's another one that happened to me years ago....I think I mentioned this one before...I get send up to bum @%ck nowhere to do a 100 hr on a machine...fisrt thing I see is the a/c is a frigging mess...the t/r blades are so black that there appears to be no stripes on the blades...I set out too clean them when I find a dent in the leading edge that has been filled in with proseal...on further investigation,after picking out said proseal,there is a gash in the leading edge....going to make this short...after all the wrangling with the base pilot,I was told by management that I could no longer work with said base manager anymore....happy days are here again...got on the plane going south and never been back since....this#@it 's been going on forever and we know why and I'm not going there.....I have seen so many blade stricks from so many diferent operators that where...change the blades and go...it would boggle your mind....and a lot of these happened wlile working for different goverment agencies all across Canada....did any of them have any questions to ask...NO!!!!.....so the best bet seems to be ....keep your mouth shut and go with the flow....I know I would not be signing the release forms especially as I am a driver,as well as a wrench, who has to sit in these machines all day long and wounder what the history is on the one you are in today .... :shock: