R44 12 year inspection

[valve guide]

Can anyone tell me what gets replaced at a 12 year inspection as opposed to a 12 year overhaul. I see some R44 with lo hours have taken this option and just wondered if there were any implications. As a second question what sort of cost is involved in the inspection. Many thanks.

[FSXPilot]

Robinson Helicopter Co. (http://www.robinsonheli.com/r44_mm.html)

Go read chapter 2. The aircraft will still have to be stripped down and the frames that are not replaced together with the control rods have to be crack detected. You will need new M/R and T/R blades. O/H gearboxes. New bladder tanks if not already fitted.
Still an expensive business.

[Dave Sharpe]

As somebody who also had the same questions for the same reasons I would suggest a chat with Paul at Helimech---he is the chief Engineer and a very helpful pleasant guy--located on the M1 at Junction 13--I have been there a few times for Coffee when dropping in or Collecting a 22/44 with an Operator so I have no commercial ties----you will learn a great deal----

[cyclic flare]

Has anyone got any experience on doing the overhaul / 12 year inspection I would of thought the 12 year inspection is a lot more common I've not seen many 44's reach 2200 hours before 12 years.

Is it cheaper to send it back to RHC in America.? From what I heard it probably is there is so much carriage charges anyway sending all the swap parts back it sounds as though you might as well send the whole machine back plus you are also guaranteed a quality job.

[Efirmovich]

I think Aero Maintenance at Walton Wood have done a couple, may be worth asking.


E.

[John R81]

EBG Helicopters, Hanger 6 Redhill

[cyclic flare]

I think 99.9 % of maintenance facilities have done them it's whether of not its cheaper in the uk or back to RHC

[helicopter-redeye]

Back at the original question , it's probably worththe 12 year if the aircraft has flown under 1400hrs and does not expect to reach 2200 in another 6 (or more). An R44 in private ownership could reasonably reach 2200hrs around 24 years and the twelve inspection visa good way of keeping it in operation for a quarter of a century between major rebuilds. Check especially what else has been repaired/ replaced in the first twelve years as it may be an indication as to condition.

Has anybody in the UK put Dart floats on as a retrofit to a Raven?

H-R

[Flying Foxhunter]

I had a 12 year inspection two years ago on my R44 Astro by Heliair at Wycombe, they did an excellent job. I did not need new main blades or an engine overhaul at the time. However I have just had new blades, bladder tanks and a hydraulic upgrade done by them. I have a few thousand hours on Robbos and it is the smoothest R44 I have flown now for a very long time. I understand that mine was the first non factory hydraulic upgrade and they did a good job I would say

[valve guide]

I take it you must have had the blades replaced at some point in their 12 year life?

[Flying Foxhunter]

Yes the main blades were renewed about 4 years before I bought it and the engine zero timed the year before

[rotorboater]

So do Robinson now allow the 12 year inspection, I thought they say the aircraft has to be rebuilt at 12 years, if there was an insurance claim on a rebuilt machine would it be paid? - No axe to grind, just asking in case I was to buy an inspected rather than rebuilt machine.

[homonculus]

The 12 year inspection resets the clock but doesnt reset the hours. So if you have plenty of hours left, it will give you another 12 years flying for a little over half the cost of a rebuild.

I too had a 12 year inspection done at Heliair. My blades were out of sync due to replacement under an AD at one year. It was a no brainer as I has about 1200 hours on the clock so I should run to the full 24 years before I run out of hours.