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Old 4th Apr 2005, 20:52
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tecpilot
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Without questions very good performed from one of the most experienced aerobatic pilots in Germany with strong military background and therefore the aerobatic experience. But now he is retired and using civil (not experimental) a/c. Despite his KFB (H) ...

EUROCOPTER FLIGHT MANUAL BO 105 CB-4/CBS-4
S E C T I O N 2
L I M I T A T I O N S

2.17.5 Prohibited Flight Maneuvers

Aerobatic maneuvers are prohibited.


So, how could this be?

His a/c is one of the oldest civil BO 105, 30 years old.

The military BO 105 (sometimes to see on airshows) are not the same as the civil version. They have strengthened airframes, gearboxes and some other modifications. Due to the rigid rotorsystem all the forces and vibrations are direct transfered to the airframe. And they do not have civil RFMs.

Eurocopter abandoned the aerobatic shows with civ a/c a lot of years ago.

One of the heaviest civil accidents in the last years (2003) was an ex mil pilot, trying to underfly a bridge only 1m higher than the BO 105 was. "Have often done such manoeuvers during my mil time" was his excuse.

I don't understand why the german CAA (LBA) accept such questionable and normally not approved aerobatic flights or close his eyes, only to give a TV-Star an ego shoot with sensationel audience ratings (money, money, money ) and on the other side the CAA's are absolutely stringent and restrictive to the normal operators trying to hold their business alive.

It must be interesting to see the CAA reaction after an aerobatic performance by an ex fighterpilot with an civil corporate jet.
And believe me, it is possible to do some impressive aerobatics with a Learjet.

Last edited by tecpilot; 4th Apr 2005 at 21:11.
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