To: Hoverman
Truth be told, I think that the Robinson helicopters are quite good helicopters for what they can do. My problem is that I feel that the restrictions placed on them by the POHs makes them uncertifiable because they can't meet the FAA requirements to demonstrate sideslip and out of trim flight. It is not to say that they can't do these things it is that they are restricted from doing them (see Helidrvrs' post on Occams' Razor somewhere on this forum).
My major thrust in writing my report was to get Robinson to go to a three bladed rotor system. I even offered a design for the system that would use their existing blades.
The three blade system would incorporate offset hinges that would allow lead lag and flapping. Even if they were not to use this design the three blade system would offer a larger cg travel and at the same time eliminate the problems of zero G and most of all the problems related to the 18-degree offset would go away.
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The Cat
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 17 December 2000).]