Wow. Light the blue touch paper and stand back.
Originally Posted by
NickLappos
dak,
Please do not generalize my words, you then wouldn't be so surprised. I have avoided putting manufacturer's labels on this discussion because of exactly what you have done, put your nationalistic/manufacturistic (is there such a word?) ethos first and your safety judgement second.
Have I? I thought I was asking a simple question or two.
My contention is that we apologize for crappy systems that fail to do their job by bragging "any pilot worth his salt should be able to handle the fact that the controls lock up or the tail rotor fails to control the machine!"
Meanwhile, the accident reports prove that assertion is simply bull, since accidents can and do happen all too frequently BECAUSE of jack stall and LTE. If accidents do not happen because of Jack Stall, I would not take this point of view. Since they do, your contention that pilots ought to be better is simply arrogant bull, since it implies that pilots and passengers get what they deserve, since they don't fly with perfect pilots like you. Such a position has no place when we speak of how to make our industry better.
Did I say that? I have re-read my post a dozen times but can't find it.
Have I experienced jack stall? Yes, in several helo types, as far back as the AH-1G in 1969, but I have also flown an S-76 with one servo system turned off at maximum gross weight to Vne, and pulled 2.0 G's without feeling any difference in the controls. Why did I do that? Because that is how we test to be sure you and your passengers did not have to experience jack stall.
This doesn't answer my question ref the Squirrel. From all the comments in this thread, we all know that the Gazelle could be jackstalled in extreme manouevring. Does the Squirrel, a later design, have the same characteristics? If no improvement in jackstall threshold has been achieved then I agree with you that this is unacceptable.
I do not have figures on the number of accidents caused by jackstall, but if they are occuring with the frequency that you imply, then surely the offending helicopter types should have their certification withdrawn!
I realise that this is an issue which you feel very strongly about. That is why I am looking for reasoned answers from someone I consider an expert - not abuse.
Dak