PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Yet another AW139 tail incident at Gulf helis
Old 8th May 2011 | 10:15
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From: EGDC
Well they must have found a faulty blade at Lee on Solent yesterday - their 139 was off state for a 'tail rotor crack' and the Portland one stood in overnight.

TCV - the big difference here is that with conventional engineering, more sensitive NDT procedures can be used to identify cracks before they become visible. With the composite blade roots you can only use the 'technologically advanced' tap test which may or may not identify voids (which really shouldn't exist at all in such important structures) and rely on visual inspection to see any surface cracks.

I agree the 139 will become an outstanding and safe aircraft but only if AW address their composite material manufacturing process and quality assurance testing as per Blackmax's suggestions.
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