From todays Rotorhub
EH101: new tail rotors send UK Merlins flying again
All of the UK’s EH101 ‘Merlins’ are being fitted with the latest version of the tail rotor hub – a move which should have both the Royal Navy and RAF fleets (39 and 22 aircraft respectively) back to full time flying within the week.
Chris Palmer, deputy chief of aviation, Royal Navy, speaking to rotorhub.com said that the preliminary results of the RN’s investigation into the crash of a Royal Navy EH101 at RNAS Culdrose (30 March) revealed that the aircraft had suffered “vibration sufficient to cause the failure of the hub and the subsequent detachment of a rotor blade.”
Tests conducted at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility in the UK with the new tail rotor hub fitted onto an RAF aircraft have satisfied the investigation team that all of the Merlins can be cleared to fly.
“Our aim in conducting a detailed investigation was to maintain crew confidence in the aircraft,” said Palmer. “We are fully behind the Merlin and consider it a fantastic aircraft to fly,” he confirmed.
Both the Italian and Canadian aircraft fleets have different tail rotor hub varients to those on UK aircraft.