500 Performance Loss With Pma Blades

[N1]

If you need to get additional lift from a 500, then just buy up a bunch of high time old blades and remove the abrasion strips to get some real performance!

 

I concur with the 500 haters here - it is the most worthless piece of crap that ever took to the air. I HATE them. :down: :down: :down:

[bladethrow]

Here is the image.

 

On a normal approach, chabougamoo( sp) QC 2 pax in the back ( with extra head room) - all of a sudden out of the blue on short final while pulling pitch 60 feet up all **** breaks loose a -BANG and swoosh- 1 blade leaves, controlability reduced to cyclic vibration 100time magnitude of bell 47, AC yaws, continue decent(rapid) -very hard landing transmission comes into the rear cabin on impact crushing and killing 2 pax in the back- skid gear folded up like rubber.

 

JUNK JUNK JUNK, any way you slice it.

 

Disposable helicopter for one time use only( like a bic razor)- and that fabulous blade inertia....... Sure are fast and cool looking though...

 

 

:shock:

[Deep Throat II]

Sorry to hear about that Bladethrow, what year did this happen?

[justfly]

That's tragic and must have been horrific Bladethrow.

 

Here's hoping no one else is ever in that scenario in any other helicopter and sees what the outcome is. :down: Let's be realistic here and fix blade design so they can't be chucked!

[Helilog56]

Unfortunately for Todd Carter, that very scenario did happen out here on the west coast a few years back. The aircraft tossed a blade while in flight.....the outcome was not good. PMA has had problems with the spar(cracks), along with debonding on the surface(s). Actually having said that I am quite fond of 500's, they are a good utility aircraft that has a niche for speed, size and agility. Prior to PMA blades, the original Hughes blades were quite reliable....."provided" that inspections and s.b.'s were complied with.........Us mere mortals down here miss you Todd.

[blizzard]

Gee! I don't know why some trash the 500D so much. It certainly does things that most machines can't do. Being a stable platform for longlining and getting into really tight spots. I've flown quite a bit of different brands and they all have their pros and cons. To my knoledge there isn't 1 helicopter out there that does all what our customers expect. Don't forget that the Bell 206 and Hughes 500 and the Fh 1100 were competing for the US military observation helicopter contract back in the early 60s. If I recall the vintage Bell 206 (Chevy II) had its blade throwing problems too. Let me tell you if you had that happen to you in the Bell your ips would be off the scale and you wouldn't be here either. Your lucky that you only lost 20 percent and not 50 percent of your rotor system. Even the Astars which today is pretty good had its tweks.

[Guest Angry Egg Driver]

I don't think it really matters if you lose one or all the blades.Your going to the ground just as fast.

[flydock]

every machine has its problems but there is no better machine to have an accident in. It is very tough and I am sure my mate phil will testify to that, it is probably the only reason he is still alive today. trouble is things fail.

[shaggy]

that's true especially if you are in the back.

i have quite a bit of time in the 500 but i'd rather not fly them any more b/c MD doesn't have any cash for product support let alone development of new and improved components. those blades just don't seem to be up to the challenge of up to 200 (sometimes more) torque events a day when doing seismic or shake block flying.

give me a plastic fantastic anyday.

[MD500]

that's true especially if you are in the back.

i have quite a bit of time in the 500 but i'd rather not fly them any more b/c MD doesn't have any cash for product support let alone development of new and improved components.  those blades just don't seem to be up to the challenge of up to 200 (sometimes more) torque events a day when doing seismic or shake block flying.

give me a plastic fantastic anyday.

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