R22 Blade Delamination
I think there is a very important point being missed here. There have been numerous accidents and incidents involving R22s and R44s. We have all heard other pilots relating "robbie blade delamination accident" stories. Up until now we had no definitive proof that these blades were in fact coming apart. The delamination was always conveniently explained away as a result of the accident rather than the cause of the accident. Now, due to this pilot's uncommon skill and a healthy helping of luck we have a machine parked on its skids with a 600 hr blade peeled apart like a filleted fish. CASA don't want to know about it. Has the FAA been notified? I wonder what their reaction would be when faced with grounding a significant portion of the revenue producing machines in the U.S.
Hey Frank, your machines are flying apart in flight. I know pilots who would rather risk losing their jobs than fly robbies. What is it going to take. These are not overflown mustering machines, they are always hangared, well maintained training and tourism machines. Next time it might be one of the low-time, wealthy private owners that CASA is scared of offending, then we'll see some action.
I'm not just having a whinge, let me know what I can do to help prevent another delamination accident. But let's do it now.