Hot new helicopter/rotorcraft news

[ChuckMK23]

Nice engine, but I’d lose a chunk of horse power at close to the same weight. I do seriously love the idea of a FADEC as I am sick of the 1920’s technology tractor magneto that I have now (made worse in that it is a dual magneto). Even an engine governor would be nice (the Enstrom uses a collective correlator) to save some gas.

The real problem on the US is that once something works…like a 1950’s engine…why bother ever changing it? It is very expensive for companies to meet FAA requirements and most owners don’t care as long as the spinning thingy on the front (or top) keeps spinning. But…100LL is on the way out no matter how much pilots kick and scream. Several states are working on bills that will limit the number of take offs and landings per day at GA airports that utilize 100LL and others are looking at outright bans. In most cases the fox isn’t too hard, but getting past the “but it works” types isn’t easy.

The lack of innovation in the core of GA piston aircraft is appalling. CAP is doing 500 hour magneto removal and inspections because the mags themselves seem to fail/MBTF right at 500 hours like clockwork. on brand new from the factory Cessna 206T Turbo (that the USAF spent over $1mm per aircraft on )

The FAA Part 23 system is beyond broken. "But its certified!". Safe and Legal are not the same - even remotely. We have a active RV builders community at my airport and the innovation in the EXPERIMENTAL category is amazing - especially products like the Titan engines.

The FAA AVGAS replacement program is also a shitshow. We can't eliminate lead from AVGAS quickly enough - not because of the "environmental" issues, but because lead wreaks havoc on modern fulel in jected engines where the risk of detonation is negligible, and the benefit of Lead additives are negligible, while the harm lead does to valves, spark plugs, fuel nozzles is much worse.

Simply getting the lead out of AVGAS also will immediatly allow use of full synthetic engine oil - which would result in 100Hr oil changes (or more). (normal oil change interval today is 50.)

I've had the Surefly ignition system instal;led on 2 of my club aircraft - a Cessna 182S and a Cessna 206H (non turbo) - both Lycoming IO-540. The results have been remarkable.

PRODUCTS | SureFly

www.surefly.net

 

[wink]

FADEC, electronic ignition, hell, I don't even have a starter or generator. "You get the prop I'll get the brakes."

 

[Griz882]

FADEC, electronic ignition, hell, I don't even have a starter or generator. "You get the prop I'll get the brakes."

Sounds great…but hand-starting a helicopter could be problematic.

 

[DanMa1156]

Sounds great…but hand-starting a helicopter could be problematic.

Spinning the rotors on the -57 to get just that little extra oomph before a battery start wasn't uncommon during my instructing days haha!

 

[RobLyman]

Spinning the rotors on the -57 to get just that little extra oomph before a battery start wasn't uncommon during my instructing days haha!

Sounds like a "go fetch me some prop wash" kind of thing. There's a video (I can't seem to find it) of a soldier told to pump up the tail strut on a Black Hawk using the pylon step. It's pretty funny. I KNOW as an instructor you never spun up a -57 rotor head. That's GOT to be the job of a student, right?

 

[Griz882]

Sounds like a "go fetch me some prop wash" kind of thing. There's a video (I can't seem to find it) of a soldier told to pump up the tail strut on a Black Hawk using the pylon step. It's pretty funny. I KNOW as an instructor you never spun up a -57 rotor head. That's GOT to be the job of a student, right?

I was told that if the student pushed real hard just aft of the fuel point the instructor could pop the clutch to get it started. But that was from a dude who identified himself as a Senior Ensign so…

 

[DanMa1156]

Sounds like a "go fetch me some prop wash" kind of thing. There's a video (I can't seem to find it) of a soldier told to pump up the tail strut on a Black Hawk using the pylon step. It's pretty funny. I KNOW as an instructor you never spun up a -57 rotor head. That's GOT to be the job of a student, right?

If I recall correctly it was against the SOP to let the student do it, and it was a waste because they took so long to get buckled in you’d lose any NR you had going. So, you’d get them buckled in, spin it as fast as you can (maybe like 7%) and hop in and start it super quickly. I didn’t do it often, maybe 2-3 times total. Generally, tried to avoid the Battery starts.

 

[Gatordev]

I've had the Surefly ignition system instal;led on 2 of my club aircraft - a Cessna 182S and a Cessna 206H (non turbo) - both Lycoming IO-540. The results have been remarkable.

I can't remember where my mags currently are in life (I think I have another year or so before hitting the 500 hour mark), but I plan to put a Surefly in when it's time to rebuild. The real benefit is when you have an engine analyzer, but it will make the engine run hotter. Not a big deal on some designs, but an issue on the enclosed cowl setup of my plane.

For those that care, apparently Surefly is increasing their price in May. I would grab one now if I didn't just have a large aviation expenditure.

 

[ChuckMK23]

What's going on with VH-92A??

Sikorsky VH-92As still not carrying the US president, 21 years after replacement effort began

Last June during a business event in Connecticut, Sikorsky president Paul Lemmo said the company's VH-92A Patriot helicopter would take over presidential transport missions flown by VH-3D and VH-60N helicopters "completely" by this spring. That still has not happened.

www.flightglobal.com

 

[DanMa1156]

Doesn't scorch the White House lawn?

 

[JTS11]

Doesn't scorch the White House lawn?

Haha, I remember my former squadron CO who went on to be HMX-1 CO making this point at a big conference of the big wigs (not scorching a blade of grass on the South Lawn) when V-22s were starting to be integrated into HMX.

TBH, I think the Marine Corps would be better off turning the mission over to the Army/AF (I know...not going to happen), especially since they no longer perform the X part of HMX.

 

[Griz882]

Doesn't scorch the White House lawn?

Eisenhower went from an H-13 to a H-34, then JFK went from a H-34 to the H-3.

Come on Joe! You can make the change!

 

[phrogdriver]

Haha, I remember my former squadron CO who went on to be HMX-1 CO making this point at a big conference of the big wigs (not scorching a blade of grass on the South Lawn) when V-22s were starting to be integrated into HMX.

TBH, I think the Marine Corps would be better off turning the mission over to the Army/AF (I know...not going to happen), especially since they no longer perform the X part of HMX.

Why?

 

[JTS11]

Why?

Just my opinion (that I caveated won't happen) As a smaller branch, it's more of a manpower drain. Except shuffling some 2nd Lts around Quantico every now and then, it doesn't really benefit the Marine Corps much.

 

[DanMa1156]

Just my opinion (that I caveated won't happen) As a smaller branch, it's more of a manpower drain. Except shuffling some 2nd Lts around Quantico every now and then, it doesn't really benefit the Marine Corps much.

I don’t think if you get rid of HMX you get those people back. I think the USMC budget just gets cut by that amount of billets.