PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - G2 down in Switzerland - 15 June 2022
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Old 24th Jun 2022, 15:19
  #15 (permalink)  
Rotorbee
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 434
Received 21 Likes on 13 Posts
Since Robisons were certified a long time ago, when crash worthiness and general strength wasn't so high on the list, no probably not. Neither would have a JetRanger or a H300 and many other helicopters. Composite materials have their advantage. It is absolutely impressive, how the Cabri holds together. And how the pilot saved it.
On the other hand, Robinson helicopters are know for their good tail rotor authority. Probably the same accident wouldn't have happened in the same way with an R22.

In the days, I had situations in the R22 where it started to spin with full opposite pedal, because the customer wanted me to fly very slowly with a (light) tail wind (Notice to self: learn to say NO when you are still young and alive). A bit of forward speed and everything was fine again. But I learned two methods to stop the spinning when I felt it coming. Just wiggle the cyclic for a second and it disappears. The second is a quick down and up movement of the collective. Don't like that one, but it works, too.

But that it the second accident with a spinning Cabri in a few days. In this accident, after the plunge toward the earth, the pilot recovered and flew for a very short while straight and level and the spinning started again. This might point to a mechanical failure.
On the other hand, if the Cabri can get away from you and you can't to nothing against it (if that is the case), I wonder if it is such a good training tool. Students tend to be a bit slower or wrong in their reaction and I feel, that a good training helicopter should be more forgiving. Strong it is already, no doubt about that.
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