thekite
15th Sep 2007, 12:09
My friend BW, reg35 engineer, designer,builder and flyer of numerous and noteworthy aircraft has and is designing a two seat traning helicopter
To my surprise he has specified a three bladed rotor sytem. This of course increases the cost substantially over the more usual two bladed system.
"To what advantage?" I queried.
To eliminate he risk of mast bumping, quoth he. Well yes, but at what cost? I wondered.
He is right of course. All teetering rotors have this Achilles Heel, although the lovers of Hillers, B47s JetRangers etc will deny, the fact is, they will all do this awful thing.
But once the INCONVENIENT TRUTH (where have I heard that before) is grasped and handled, the pilot is no worse off than recovering alcoholic.
To wit: yes ther is a problem, but we can deal with it.
Training is the answer. Don't believe me? Then ask Frank Robinson, or fly with his instructors. In knowledge there is power.
My Yak 52 requires two terrified and strong men to get it out of some of the spins that it can be forcd into. So how not to die? DO NOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT INTO THAT PREDICAMENT!! And live a little longer.
Same with mast bumping. Do not put the aircraft into that predicament. And live a little longer, again, as I say.
So since we can fly two-bladed rotors for a lifetime without experiencing mast bumping, providing the training is correct, what other reason could BW for specifying 3 blades. Don't recall Enstroms and H300s as being noticably superior to B206s, Robbos etc.
Welcome some input here.
thekite
To my surprise he has specified a three bladed rotor sytem. This of course increases the cost substantially over the more usual two bladed system.
"To what advantage?" I queried.
To eliminate he risk of mast bumping, quoth he. Well yes, but at what cost? I wondered.
He is right of course. All teetering rotors have this Achilles Heel, although the lovers of Hillers, B47s JetRangers etc will deny, the fact is, they will all do this awful thing.
But once the INCONVENIENT TRUTH (where have I heard that before) is grasped and handled, the pilot is no worse off than recovering alcoholic.
To wit: yes ther is a problem, but we can deal with it.
Training is the answer. Don't believe me? Then ask Frank Robinson, or fly with his instructors. In knowledge there is power.
My Yak 52 requires two terrified and strong men to get it out of some of the spins that it can be forcd into. So how not to die? DO NOT PUT THE AIRCRAFT INTO THAT PREDICAMENT!! And live a little longer.
Same with mast bumping. Do not put the aircraft into that predicament. And live a little longer, again, as I say.
So since we can fly two-bladed rotors for a lifetime without experiencing mast bumping, providing the training is correct, what other reason could BW for specifying 3 blades. Don't recall Enstroms and H300s as being noticably superior to B206s, Robbos etc.
Welcome some input here.
thekite