ERIC FERRET * OILANDGASMAN
Having just read your posts again I think you both have made a very very, valid points. The design concept of makiing the MGB "multitasking" certainly leaves the helicopter utterly susceptable to catastrophic failure and one could argue, that in doing all these jobs (load bearing in the air and on the ground) it is probably subjected to a whole bunch of unecessary stresses.
It is starnge that this concept has remained a feature for many helicopters yet the safety advantages, as you guys have mentioned, allied to the reduction in downtime (as the MGB could be removed without having to remove head and blades) would make you think it should have been thought about before.
Any engineering wizzards out there who could explain this anomaly???