R44 corrosion
The later Raven 2's corrode. Period.
A fine machine blighted by a move AFAIAA to more environmentally friendly coatings.
Mine started to corrode extensively on the boom and tail after a year.
It started as small festers at overlapped joints, ie beneath the paint and got so bad that, at less than 2 years old, something had to be done. By this time, the fuel tank edges were starting to go too.
RHC denied all liability, citing the poor UK weather but - bless them - offered to repair the parts if I sent them back. As an alternative, they offered to supply the paint...(!)
Downtime and shipping costs precluded - I had it done in the UK. It cost me a couple of thousand quid.
RHC responded only to my first Email and have stonewalled me since.
My aircraft is privately owned and, as you would expect of a low time hobby pilot, not flown in poor weather. Indeed, I can number the times I have flown it in the rain on the fingers of one hand.
It otherwise lives in a heated/ dehumidified new purpose built hangar.
RHC's refusal to accept liability, all within the 2 year warranty period, leaves the innocent distributors exposed.
Having spent well over £200k on a new aircraft, you would reasonably expect the paint to last as well as that on a sixty quid Halfords bike wouldn't you?
I was really upset but the jobs now done - I have moved on. Whilst the thing wasn't deriveted, ie to cure the corrosion within overlapped joints, it has been fine since.
I would urge anybody ordering a new machine to specifiy the additional corrosion protection - deemed completely unecessary when I spec'd my machine in view of the excellent corrosion history up until I order mine.
If you havent...stick a stethoscope against the tailboom, listen to those tin worms munching away and start saving up for the repairs.
There are some excellent inhibitors on the market. I insisted on a regular liberal coat of ACF 50(?) inside all vulnerable panels.
Thinking of buying a late 44?
I would think about the corrosion issues very seriously and either buy an older one or a brand new one with the addition protection. It shouldnt be difficult to ID the blighted serial numbers, mine is one of them of course.
Keen to share experiences with others.
Later.
JB