Re: UK Coastguard SAR - Bristow out??
Reflex,
The DGAC has never told anyone what was actually flown or tested on the Super Puma, so nobody knows what was done to certify it. I asked the head of the US FAA Rotorcraft Directorate, and he told me that the DGAC stonewalled him when he asked, in writing, and the CAA Flight Test Group leader told me the same. It is considered very strange conduct, but there is nothing other states can do because the bilateral agreements require the systems to be certified if the host country does so.
That being said, I have spoken to 332L2 pilots who flew regularly in pretty tough icing conditions, and they say the 332's rotor ice system works. I guess the 332 team never read helicomparitor's diatribe on why it is a waste of time to have rotor ice protection.
nightwatchman's questions:
1) Is there a fuel dump on the S92? Not yet, but it is easy to install and certify, and several hundred dump kits have been delivered on Black Hawks, so just ask for it and have a nice check handy, and you have it
2) Are the vibration problems affecting the S92 worsened by higher weights or only affected by speed? Don't you mean to ask, "When did you stop beating your wife?" Read the posts from 92 pilots, and try desparately to avoid helicomparitor's desparate diatribes.
3) Is there anyone winching using a S92 and have they had trouble getting a stretcher in and out of the door (noting the position of the sponson) or the wire rubbing against the sponson in high wind conditions? A stokes litter is an easy load to bring through the wide door, and rotor wash is not a great effect. The USAF recently conducted trials with all sorts of loads and found the tasks quite normal. I have heard of difficulties with the EH-101, and I guess that makes folks gunshy, but the 92 is quite nice for hoist operations.
4) Does it offer SE hover performance at MTOW in nil wind conditions (UK temps)? Not until you get pretty far down in gross weight, about 21000 lbs from memory.
5) Is it true you can only use the windscreen wipers below 40kts airspeed? And when is any helicopter manufacturer ever going to produce a decent set of wipers for an aircraft... my car has better wipers for F#%ks sake!!!! I honestly don't remember the speed limitation, I am searching for my 92 flight manual right now. I don't recall 40 knots! I will ammend this post when I find it!