To: HeliEng
I don’t know if you have read the Robinson Certification thread but some of the responses were quite troubling. One of the main thrusts of my thread was that there were restrictions placed on both the R22 and the R44 preventing the pilots from flying out of trim and doing sideslips. The reason for the restriction was to cut down on the flapping loads and flapping excursions to minimize the possibility of mast bumping. I caught a lot of flack on that point as many of the responses indicated that many pilots totally ignored the restrictions.
If this mentality is carried through onto the R44 Raven then they could be introducing higher than anticipated feedback forces when they violate the restrictions thus causing problems with the attaching structure and the upper control system. With the hydraulic servos blocking the feedback the pilots are unaware of these feedback loads although they might feel it in the form of fuselage vibration. Just a thought.
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The Cat