Hi all,
a) If you have no time in an aircraft you should only inquire not bash or push. No experience - so what are you talking about?
b) You always will only hear the bad and the ugly - any machine...
c) So let me open my mouth a little:
about 900 hrs R-22 and around 5000hrs R-44
This incident doesn't really mean a lot unless it is definitely from off axis-trim.
I have a lot of time flying sideways, call the angle - I did it, from 0 kts to 45 kts - never any problem. Rest of the time is
in trim and it is very easy to maintain trim in a R.
Had anual checks for other pilots, that fly dog/crab style all day long, actually all their live long! ...and so bad it "hurts"
2 of them on R-44 for 1000's of hours.
The incident is nothing but a reason to guard against liability - no argument.
Same as FR does not authorize any STC for the R-44. It still is an excellent External load machine, good at fumigation, etc.
Show me any other helo with which you can do full-touch down auto's to water on a regular bases, run them on solid ground without wasting the skids in an instant.
One does a preflight for a reason. In my close to 6K hours in the brand, I saw some very worn TR-blades, sometimes badly balanced (after 400 to 500 hrs of use on boats), but never found any sign of a crack.
Maybe a bad run of blades ....
As it is, today everything is prohibited, that is not expressly allowed/authorized in the POH.
It used to be pilot's common sense and experience unless prohibited in the POH.
Those of you that have done more than VIP flying from one certified place to another know that helicopters (all of them) can do a lot more than decribed in the POH, if the pilot can and does it with prudence.
You don't like the brand, get over it.
It is easy to have a high accident rate, if everyone can afford the machine, even if those who shouldn't even drive a stroller.
Same goes for flight training - metal get's bent in training.
I am in bigger machines now, but I fly a (well maintained) R-brand anytime.
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