The freewheel unit on a 206 is not part of the engine its part of the helicopter.
Any torque demanded by the drivetrain goes through the freewheel unit be it , from the Tail Rotor or the Main Rotor.
If the Tail Rotor where bolted to an engine power output it would either not turn in the event of an engine failure or the drivetrain would be turning the engine over in autorotation which kind of negates the need for a freewheel.
The splines at the back to the engine gearbox in a 206 are driven from a shaft in the freewheel unit not the engine.
Who knows what the torque limits are for the freewheel unit ? I don't, so I have a good reason to stay within the limits other than common sense / because the manufacturer says so and any legal requirements.
A great topic that got me thinking for more than 5 minutes !
Last edited by VeeAny; 6th July 2010 at 11:14.