350 Star Failure - Texas

[sandy helmet]

We had a B model destroy itself on the ground years ago. The star was also destroyed in the process. I flew it on the prior flights away from base on a remote site, and in the pre-flights was noticing a growing tear in a frequency adapter, and degredation of the spherical bearings.

 

On one landing I got into ground resonance and returned the helicopter to base. I got the usual "I've seen a lot worse" upon reporting the issue, and on the subsequent start up with another pilot the incident occured.

 

I have flown Astars and Dauphins with dressed or scalloped cracked stars that never gave any trouble or degraded further. How was the condition of the elastomers of that machine?

 

Also, I once had new heel springs installed where the bolts weren't torqued, and that caused ground resonance.

[TREE]

The blades of a two bladed system should both be tied down as in the above fashion, except at 90 degrees to the helicopter, to prevent flapping of the one blade and causing rocking of the helicopter.

 

nOOb question .......... is that 90 degs across or inline with fuselage ?

 

I am assuming inline fore/aft.

[Blackmac]

Tree:

 

I have always tied 47,FH1100,206,204,205,212 blades at 90 degrees to the fuselage, found it easier. You could tie them down, I suppose in any fashion, as long as both blades are tied to the helicopter and prevented from flapping to any great degree. If the helo should rock from the high winds, the blades will move with the helicopter as long as they are tied to the helicopter.

 

Cheers, Don

[RTR]

Most manufacturers publish the correct method of securing the m/r, /t/r etc.

 

This stuff isn't hard to find.

 

RTR