Helo 44
What happened before/after failure - since close to new and during start up the starter motor would occaisonally fail to engage with the ring gear. this made a sound like high pitched whizz...
This can be a dry/faulty bendix on the starter, not throwing the starter gear into the ring gear. Hence the mashed ring gear. .
Also, on the Raven II people tend to hit the start button - engine fires - stops. . then they hit the start button again before the engine and starter have come to rest. . . this also mashes the ring gear (with an elongated shape)
Float Test
R44 waddles in very calm conditions when in balance, a little left/right pedal sorts it out . . I belive the flat back of the engine/fan cowl is the cause. .
