The Benefit Of A Fenestron

[Cole]

It seems logical that if taking all the weight off the front of the helicopter dropped the tail, then wouldnt putting all that weight back on the front raise it again?

 

My gut says it's an ex blackhawk pilot, I saw another video wher there were 3 or 4 blackhawks all parked tail uphill.

 

Don't worry skids up, I dont think many well people would think that was a smart thing to do.

 

Cheers.

Cole

[TwistedSpar]

WOW!

 

I have always wondered if a notar or fenestrom woulg give a pilot a false sence of security, I know the TR keeps me in-line.

 

It would be interesting to hear the opinion of some one who flies one. Or for that matter Eurocopter. I would assume an engineer would have some work to do after the snow wash. But hey who am I to say, maybe the way I was shown to land in snow was all wrong

 

Sorry I have to keep this one short but the wife just walked by in something realy small, gata go, I'll make it longer next time. :censored:

 

 

Rob

 

The Fesestron sudden stoppage check (EC120 AMM) is minimal. It's only 1 page long, 6 items.

In this case, you would have to see the snow pack to be able to make a definate decision, your inspection results would dictate the severity. should it only be light fluffy snow as it appears being sucked in, does it meet the criteria of hitting an object with sufficient inertia to decellerate the blades? Not in my opinion. these things are quite robust, even though they don't look it.

I hear your point about the T/R keeping you honest, but the Fenestron is safer for passengers, animals and those general oops' where you do forget about it.

I would choose a Fenestron over a T/R hands down for just the safety aspect.

 

I'm sure you all have seen the one where the 135 sucks water thru it's fenestron in a river....now won't that get you's all talking more...LOL

[Mark_]

There was another vid floating around that I can't seem to find right now...a dauphin dips the fenestron into a river causing it to fail...anyone know where that one is?

[TwistedSpar]

they're all here if I'm not mistaken

 

http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/videos/

[ISE DA BY]

There was another vid floating around that I can't seem to find right now...a dauphin dips the fenestron into a river causing it to fail...anyone know where that one is?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoUDkX9ERGQ...feature=related

[Skidz]

It seems logical that if taking all the weight off the front of the helicopter dropped the tail, then wouldnt putting all that weight back on the front raise it again?

 

Cole,

 

When you get winter ops training, you'll learn that you can land on snow and cave in afterwards. There is a LOT of weight on the rear of a helicopter's skids. You'll learn to bury the nose first and "stomp" the machine on the snow to ensure it won't cave...

 

I don't know the particulars of this incident, but from the looks of it, the bearpaws on this 135 seem to have caved through the snowpack on the edge of the treeline. From the guy stomping on the snowpack at the end, the front of the skids were likely on something much firmer (like a groomed ski run, by the looks of it). No amount of weight on the front of the skids would correct that attitude.

 

Personnally, I would have started by removing as much snow as possible from the right side of the Fenestron before starting up, and I would have tried jacking (or at least supporting) the rear of the skids, to at least ensure the a/c wouldn't keel over farther on start up. The way the pilot "popped" it up gives me the impression he was beyond his cyclic forward stop and couldn't pull her up "elegantly"...

[Cole]

I assumed he had stomped it down on touch down but I guess not. I agree with removing the snow from the right side but for all we know they may have thought of that.

 

Without getting a good look at the area I can't say I wouldn't have landed in the same place, perhaps just further forward if possible.

 

If it was an option though, why not land parallel to the road in the first place?

 

Ive seen pictures of an r22 in similar circumstances, landed on 3 feet of snow, forgot to pack it down and as soon as the pilot stepped out the tail decided to go into the snow.

 

Seems alot better off with a Fenestron then a tailrotor though. Looked like full forward cyclic on the pickup to boot.

 

Whats the max demonstrated sloped landing on the 135?

[T tail]

Most Likely however many degrees that was Cole ..They might have to revise the flight manual now

 

 

TT

[Cole]

Fair enough haha.

[Harmonic_Vibe]

Whats the max demonstrated sloped landing on the 135?

 

Believe it or not it'll take an uncanny amount of slope if you have the (optional) mast moment indicator. Well over 10 degrees laterally... The guy in the video clearly doesn't know what he's up to...

 

HV