Evaluating a Helicopter

[Newbie2008]

If you were to evaluate a helicopter for a potential buyer or just to rent/lease it, what would you focus your attention on? Specially on Bell Helicopters (206L3-4's, 407's and 412's). Besides the obvious like overhaul or retirement times remaining, etc.

[Revolutionary]

Evaluating a helicopter for purchase/lease is best done by a mechanic experienced in the type (I mean, what are you going to tell the potential buyer? "It corners nice"?) who can go over both the aircraft and the logbook with a fine tooth comb. He'll know the type's weak points and can evaluate the logs for AD compliance and a careful accounting of all of the replacement parts that have been put on over the years. In the same vein, typing up a lease or purchase contract is best left to a lawyer or broker specialized in such things.

[Newbie2008]

I guess I posted in the wrong forum. I am a mechanic and was told to get ready to go and "take a look" at some helos to give them my opinion. This is my first "evaluation" and was looking for some advice before hand.

[mtoroshanga]

A bit of advice, look very carefully at who has owned the aircraft in the past, some operators are better than others in maintaining their aircraft. If it belonged to a Company like the old Bristow then no problem if it has flown 20,000 Hrs but one from one of our cousin companies is likely to be a heap in less than half that time.

[Newbie2008]

Thank you Mtoroshanga! Will do.

[FH1100 Pilot]

Evaluating an aircraft for potential purchas is fairly "easy." It just takes all day or two. Obviously, go over the logbooks for continuity of service (no unexplained gaps). Incomplete logs, or "reconstructed" logs are show-stoppers and reason enough to walk away.

While perusing the logbooks, I look for repetitive write-ups that always seem to get squawked but never seem to get fixed.

Verify the total airframe and engine times, and make sure they agree with any (non-binding) "status sheet" that the seller has generously provided. Other obvious areas: Last annual/hundred hour. (Do not take the seller's word on anything. They lie. Alternately, they might simply be too dumb to know what's important and what's not. *YOU* must be smarter than them.)

Check the component historical record cards of EVERY life-limited component, airframe *and* engine. Failure to do this will be at your peril. Remember, if it's a life-limited component and does *not* have a historical record card and you cannot accurately and legitimately verify the total number of hours on that part, then it's not an aircraft part, period.

Other components that have overhaul intervals must also be checked for compliance (by cross-checking the "yellow tag" against the logbook entry for that component's installation and calculating the time in service. FOR EACH COMPONENT.

It is best to have a computer spreadsheet program that will allow *you* to plug in numbers and determine remaining life limits. If the seller provides one, MAKE SURE that they don't "conveniently" leave off some critical part that just coincidentally has very little time left.

Check for compliance of every applicable A.D. (airworthiness directive) or Service Bulletin.

Then check that all obvious repairs or alterations to the aircraft have been properly documented either by logbook entry or other acceptable means (e.g. FAA 337 form). Check the equipment list to make sure that everything installed is actually *on* the equipment list and conversely, what is on the list is in the ship. Check the latest aircraft empty weight and the most recent weight and balance.

Finally, check that everything actually works - comm and nav radios and the intercom system. Don't overlook stuff like the instrument lights! Sometimes helicopters don't do a lot of night flying. "Little" things like inoperable instrument lights might go "unnoticed"...until it's *you* up there on your first night flight and you turn the instrument lights on and go, "What the..."

If the ship is old (L-3 say), a really thorough evaluation can take the better part of two days. Don't be in a hurry. Be thorough and do your due diligence. This is the only way you can be reasonable assured of not having any post-sale "gotchas." It is VERY EASY to get burned.

If you're evaluating the ship for lease, then the pre-purchase inspection doesn't have to be so thorough. Verify the legality of the aircraft, and let the principals work out who pays for what, component and maintenance-wise.

[chuckolamofola]

FH1100: Nice post and well thought out.:ok:

A couple of other items that come to mind are:


Does it have a complete set of maintenance manuals, are they up to date. (Paper or Electronic) This can be costly for you to purchase from new.
Ground handling wheels, complete set and servicable?
ICA (Instructions for Continued Airworthiness) for STC installed items and have they been signed off and up to date?
Does the aircraft have all of the required paperwork items? Airworthiness Cert, Registration, POH (Is it up to date), current weight and balance?
If it's a 412, check the engine decks for debonding, both center and side decks. Check the pylon area for debonding and corrison around the bottom near the floor panels. Look in the hell hole, servos leaking excessively, ditto for the accumulators? Pull the floors, open up the tailboom, look for corrosion.
It appears your in Florida, so maybe floats? If so, look at the float bottle test date. In additon, the 412's have fire ext., check the last bottle test date.
Look for the battery's last deep cycle, on startup watch how low the bus voltage goes during start, good indicator of a poor performing battery.
Check for TB's and SB's being accomlished that affect flight safety but aren't mandatory to part 91 ops. They may elect not to do them.
Check with your local Bell CSR, he'll also know points to look for and he may know a bit about the history.
Good luck, you won't find everything, hopefully you'll find the big items.


Regards,


Chuck

[Newbie2008]

Thank you guys for your insightful recommendations. Great guidelines.

Thanks for sharing your expertise with me on this thread! Best wishes!

[SASless]

Dig around in the logbooks and find names and certificate numbers of folks who have worked on or flown the aircraft. A quick search of FAA records will provide an address....do a bit of digging and have a chat with them and see what they remember about the aircraft. In shoddy outfits there will be ample turn over and some number of folks that would love to participate in a bit of Truth telling. Use those conversations to look for problems in documentation and the like. If you are talking about a 412.....you can afford to do a real research effort considering the down side of buying an aircraft that is not as advertised somehow.

[carholme]

If you call BHC Flight Safety in Texas, you can provide them with the s/n and they will tell you if the a/c has had any incidents/accidents and generally can provide you with its history since it left the factory.

carholme