Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
#1877001
skydriller wrote:
Sooty25 wrote:@skydriller flying in helicopters was one of the reasons I gave up working offshore!


I've always liked helicopter flights - But even I sleep in the back of a '92 in the cruise... :sleeping:


S76 was the newest I flew in

3 friends involved in separate forced landings/crashes.

2, what I would consider, near misses offshore for me

Then listening on marine VHF to the response to the 2002 S76 going in off Cromer, as it unfolded was the final straw. Haven't flown in one since.
#1877002
For the RR300, they really just simplified the design and moved away from the axial rotors/stators (of C250 series) in the compressor section.

Here’s a good comparison overview:
https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/kantha/sites/default/files/attached-files/16496-116619_-_tyler_clayton_-_dec_17_2015_110_pm_-_clayton_schenderlein_comparisonofhelicopterengines.pdf
#1877052
I’m certainly interested to see what caused the ‘engine out’.

That’s one light you hope you never see come on for real combined with everything going quiet!!

For a genuine engine failure as long as the everyone is ok that’s a result.

The Alison 250 is a very reliable engine and must have some serious running hours. The company that maintains my Enstrom 480 has never had a customer engine failure on a turbine in 20+ Years.
A4 Pacific liked this
#1877057
@Pdflyer86

I agree.

As I said earlier:
Having flown three helicopter types and an aeroplane all with Allison 250 engines, I’m really interested to hear what prevented this one from producing power? They are incredibly reliable engines.


I have had an Allison 250 fail in flight, but that was due to a maintenance error causing it to dump all it’s oil immediately post maintenance. Perhaps something similar is what happened here?
#1877067
Could be.

When I was talking to my engineer a bit ago he did say if you have an issue with one of the lines/hoses on the engine it will roll back to idle. (Can’t remember exactly what he said, something like that).

It doesn’t cause any damage just means you are doing an auto for real.
#1877171
At the risk of initiating a frenzy of speculation about helicopters always plummeting etc, this months AAIB report has a report of a Bell 407 (think Bell 206 multiplied by nearly 2, but still powered by a single large version of the Allison 250) which also had an engine failure: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/aaib-report-bell-407-uncontained-engine-failure-and-fire-long-marston-warwickshire

Whilst there was no definitive reason for the failure determined, the likely suspect was an oil leak causing starvation and a massive failure.

The tailboom of this one was also chopped on landing but the airframe remained upright and everyone walked away.

Unfortunately for the pilot and the likely insurance payout on this accident, the pilot had not undertaken his PC checks for a couple of years and was therefore not current. I imagine him and his friend who owned the aircraft have since had a 'discussion'!
User avatar
By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1877205
flyingsniffer wrote:Unfortunately for the pilot and the likely insurance payout on this accident, the pilot had not undertaken his PC checks for a couple of years and was therefore not current.


At the risk of hijacking the thread, "legal" is not the same as "not current".
(I know nothing of this accident or the pilot's proficiency) Would the insurance really not pay out?

Regards, SD..
#1877246
Dear oh dear.

A pilot who shouldn’t have been at the controls. Who didn’t look at the oil pressure gauge. Who flew an autorotation at an Nr of 68-82% when the minimum is supposed to be 85%. Who carried out no memory items either during the autorotation or prior to evacuation.

It looks like two people got very lucky.

The original issue being a willingness to break the rules.

Normalisation of deviance.

Whilst being a PPL(H) he also appears to be a professional fixed wing pilot. One can’t help wondering whether information concerning his predicament reached his employer?
#1877269
RisePilot wrote:
Rob P wrote:PC Check? Wossat?


Short for LPC (Licence Proficiency Check). Helicopter pilots have to do an LPC for each separate helicopter rating held every 12 months. We don't have the 2yr 12hrs scheme that SEP has.

It about 45 minutes to an 1hr flying with an examiner and some paperwork/money to CAA.


I was admonished a year or two ago by a pedantic examiner who cuckolded me for calling it an 'LPC'. Apparently it changed to 'Proficiency Check' and that's what we should all now call it.

Presumably someone at the Gatwick Bunker decided that Licence Proficiency Check didn't really describe what was being undertaken and obtained funds for a highly-paid consultant to come up with a new title. The result? Proficiency Check. SSSSSSOOOOOO much better, don't ya think?

Oh and Rob yes, us eggbeater Skygods have to show off our talent to an examiner every year. We leave the ladies at the bar while we wrestle the machine into the air and commit unspeakable acts of aviation together. Oh and we have to do it for every type of helicopter we have ratings for (more or less, some exceptions etc). And pay for the privilege, of course. (BTW I shall be moving to Suffolkshire in a few weeks, the a/c will be based at EGSM as I'll be just down the road. If you fancy lunch watching the meatbombers, let me know)