slowrotor : "Does the Robinson safety course discuss the cause of past rotor loss accidents?"
There's loads of accident stuff - and there was a discussion about the recent rotor loss in Australia. Are you referring to the hub coming off or blade break up ? Mast bumping ?
Pat Cox talks at length about mast bumping - and shows examples of masts that are fractured. There is also a lecture on Hubs - the early hub bearings on R44 have to be changed at 1000 hrs, but the latest go all the way to 2200 hrs. His tip - look for brown dust around the thrust washers on the hub, indicating a bearing problem.
He also discussed R22 blades which need special care in salt air with a barrier of WD40 (or similar) laid down the underside join between the leading edge and the main part of the blade - this will stop corrosion to the aluminium skin. This should be done after each day's flying. (He said they are testing stainless steel skinned blades for R22 - similar to R44 construction - and that they will offer them as a retro fit when they are happy.)
By the way, you can always email Pat Cox at
[email protected].