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Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:02 pm
by CharlieOneSix
Thought the RR300 looked familiar - it's a rebadged and modified version of the Allison 250-C20. That goes way back to the late 60's in it's first version the 250-C18 with which I was very familiar when it was fitted in early JetRangers. Back then we used to call the 250-C18 the Allison hand grenade for reasons which don't really need explaining. However the 250-C20 must have millions of flight hours by now and is a well developed product.

From Wikipedia:
The RR300 mates a scaled-down centrifugal compressor from the Model 250-C40/47 to a combustor and turbine similar to that of the Model 250-C20, replacing the C20's complex six-stage axial/single-stage centrifugal compressor. The RR300 retains the look and layout of the Model 250 from which it is derived.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:26 pm
by TheGreenGoblin
CharlieOneSix wrote:
Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:02 pm
Thought the RR300 looked familiar - it's a rebadged and modified version of the Allison 250-C20. That goes way back to the late 60's in it's first version the 250-C18 with which I was very familiar when it was fitted in early JetRangers. Back then we used to call the 250-C18 the Allison hand grenade for reasons which don't really need explaining. However the 250-C20 must have millions of flight hours by now and is a well developed product.

From Wikipedia:
The RR300 mates a scaled-down centrifugal compressor from the Model 250-C40/47 to a combustor and turbine similar to that of the Model 250-C20, replacing the C20's complex six-stage axial/single-stage centrifugal compressor. The RR300 retains the look and layout of the Model 250 from which it is derived.


An interesting take on the R66 from 2017

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2021 2:46 am
by FD2
Robinson helicopters plunge in popularity amid reports about safety concerns, crashes

Debbie Jamieson10:00, Sep 03 2021

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126202 ... ns-crashes

Robinson helicopters plunge in popularity amid reports about safety concerns, crashes.png
A Robinson R44 ready for takeoff. No - it's just sitting there, shut down with no one in it.


New Zealand’s love affair with Robinson helicopters is waning after a string of high profile crashes, but not everyone is pleased.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) figures show Robinson helicopters made up 42 per cent of New Zealand fleet in 2010, with 320 registered. By 2021 that dropped to 25 per cent of the fleet (or 223 helicopters).

Over the same period, Robinson helicopters accounted for 42 per cent of all helicopter crashes, and 54 per cent of fatal crashes (14 out of 26 crashes).

New Zealand Helicopter Association chairman Scott McKenzie​ said the decline in Robinson ownership was largely driven by Robinson helicopters being placed on the Transport
Accident Investigation Commission’s (TAIC) watchlist after two men died in a crash near Queenstown in a 2015.


I thought at the time of the last crash that the aircraft may have been flying in the avoid curve due to being in the vicinity of trees, but no doubt that will all be examined and the report published. It's simply not an aircraft for inexperienced pilots and they are just the group of people who will be buying it for weekend jollies as it is comparatively cheap. It is not intrinsically unsafe in experienced hands and flown in accordance with the flight manual. Of course people who own and operate them like that will be annoyed but how can you stop inexperienced people owning or flying them?!

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:35 am
by Karearea
FD2 wrote:
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:53 pm
Wedding photographer and bride passed out moments before helicopter crashed

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/125438 ... er-crashed
...
It looks like a long recovery for these folk but I hope a good one.
'I am going home walking': Wedding day chopper crash survivor takes first steps

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2021 12:47 am
by FD2
That's really good news - I hope they're all on the mend.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2021 1:06 am
by Undried Plum
Floppy-eared rabbit thingies.

Amazing that they can beat the earth into submission, when they do.

And when they don't .....

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:25 am
by FD2
Floppy-eared rabbit thingies. = They were stupid to hire an R44 in the first place?

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:16 am
by FD2
Helicopter crashes in New Zealand and it's not a Robinson. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126397 ... pter-crash

Investigation underway after pilot dies in Otago helicopter crash
Jonathan Guildford and Hanna McCallum15:40, Sep 16 2021

A helicopter, believed to be flying from Milton to Alexandra, came down north of Lawrence at 7.30am on Thursday.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff

A helicopter, believed to be flying from Milton to Alexandra, came down north of Lawrence at 7.30am on Thursday.

An investigation is underway after one person died in a helicopter crash in Otago.

Rescue Co-ordination Centre NZ said the helicopter, believed to be flying from Milton to Alexandra, was reported missing about 5.30am. Police were called about an hour later.

The helicopter involved is believed to belong to Lister Helicopters based in Milton.

Another helicopter from the company went out to search and found the missing helicopter crashed in an area north of Beaumont, about 50 kilometres inland from Dunedin, at 7.30am.

The pilot, believed to be the sole occupant, was dead.

The investigation is now in the hands of police and the Civil Aviation Authority.

“It appears the accident occurred at about 6.30am, with one person onboard the aircraft,” a Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said.

The helicopter involved is not a Robinson, which has come under scrutiny following a series of high-profile crashes.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is investigating the crash and has appealed for witnesses.

An investigation team would be at the site on Friday morning.

TAIC chief accident investigator Harald Hendel said the helicopter involved was a Eurocopter ‘Squirrel’ AS350.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:20 am
by FD2
But on the same page... https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126328 ... tor-blades


Warning issued over cracks in Robinson helicopter rotor blades

Debbie Jamieson16:05, Sep 16 2021

The Civil Aviation Authority has issued a warning to aviation operators after cracks were found in the tail rotor blades of some Robinson Helicopters.


According to the emergency airworthiness directive, operators will have to check for affected blades on R44 and R44 II helicopters from September 22, and remove them from service within three months.

The directive also prevents tail rotor blades with particular serial numbers from being installed on any helicopter.

This follows a report issued by the United States’ civil aviation regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after it received several reports of cracks found in some blades.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:26 am
by CharlieOneSix
FD2 wrote:
Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:20 am
...... and remove them from service within three months.
How odd to have a calendar deadline for removal from the helicopter. Apart from weirdly not having to do a check until 22 September, that makes no distinction between a privately owned R44 with tail rotor cracks which only flies occasionally and one used for several hours a day on, say, gas pipe line inspection. One passes here every Tuesday doing that.

If a crack was found in the tail rotor blades of an R44 I flew I would want the blades removed immediately, if not sooner!

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 9:24 am
by TheGreenGoblin
CharlieOneSix wrote:
Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:26 am
FD2 wrote:
Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:20 am
...... and remove them from service within three months.
How odd to have a calendar deadline for removal from the helicopter. Apart from weirdly not having to do a check until 22 September, that makes no distinction between a privately owned R44 with tail rotor cracks which only flies occasionally and one used for several hours a day on, say, gas pipe line inspection. One passes here every Tuesday doing that.

If a crack was found in the tail rotor blades of an R44 I flew I would want the blades removed immediately, if not sooner!
I agree, most strange and seems to imply a certain lack of rationality, one way or the other, in the approach to this issue in both the US and, possibly, NZ, generally methinks?
SUMMARY:
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked tail rotor blades (blades). This AD requires checking each blade for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. This AD also requires removing all affected blades from service and prohibits installing any affected blade on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DATES:
This AD is effective September 22, 2021.

The FAA received reports of spanwise cracks found along the leading edge of part number (P/N) C029-3 blades, serial numbers (S/N) 9410 through 9909. These affected blades were factory-installed or shipped as spares between March and December 2019. The cracks were found at different inspection intervals ranging from preflight inspections to 100-hour inspections. In one instance, a cracked blade was suspected when the pilot felt abnormal vibrations during flight; subsequent investigation determined that the blade was cracked. The cause of the cracks is a manufacturing defect in the properties of the blade skin that makes the blades prone to stress corrosion cracking. This condition, if not addressed, could result in reduced controllability and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
A duff batch or batches of blades... Surely this should require an immediate check to see whether or not a blade or blades from this part number series have been fitted to your helicopter?


https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... elicopters

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 11:11 am
by FD2
It seems to have come to light about April last year:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... elicopters

Now it has been escalated by the FAA to the AD of 22 September 2021 that GG mentions. I wonder what happened in the intervening 17 or so months. Maybe they have been working like mad to manufacture a stock of better blades but I guess with those serial numbers they only need to replace 500 or so. Or perhaps the FAA realised that they couldn't be so relaxed about such an important problem.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 11:40 am
by CharlieOneSix
Ah, the actual AD requires immediate removal of any cracked blades. No mention of three months, that seems to be down to an incorrect media interpretation.

Re: 13000 Robinson's delivered...

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:40 pm
by FD2
'Incorrect media interpretation' - yes, just for a change. I suspect they think they have a 'cause' they can run with - The Robinson helicopter - in all its forms.