This is probably a stupid question and please go easy on me as I have almost no knowledge of rotary types other than being able to point and say helicopter
As the failure of the gearbox on an intermeshing design causes such "spectacular" results is there any particular reason why the cabin isn't stretched the extra 10 feet or whatever to provide physical seperation between the blade tips?
I realise there are probably aerodynamic reasons why the rotors have to be synchronised but at least the physical separation would prevent contact between the blades if the synchronisation is lost, wouldn't it?
or should I get me coat?