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Old 30th December 2004 | 07:52
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Mr Toad
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 104
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From: Malaysia
Not sure if I'm correct but from memory the blades on the BV234LR in the early 80's were all composite; the only metal bits were the actual attachment points and drag link bearings. These were heavily wrapped in carbon fibre. Military Chinooks had metal blades; maybe different now?

Since leaving North Sea service these aircraft have done long and useful service in the logging industry; I don't think the blades had a finite life, just on condition with a nightly NDT sweep. They were quite good in light icing as they resonated... so did the passengers and crew.

A curious side-effect was that if there was any chance whatever of lightning the Chinook would attract a strike; occasionally even St Elmo's fire around the pitots and cockpit windowframes at night in winter. Weird...

Update from any modern day Chinook drivers/maintainers?
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