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Old 23rd Aug 2012, 14:35
  #291 (permalink)  
SansAnhedral
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
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The S-76 involved in the GOM tragedy had STC plastic windshields and the investigation determined that they were a factor in the accident. So your quote is out of context.
Well according to Sikorsky structures staff engineer Wongsub Kim, the plastic windshields were not the causal factor.

Sikorsky Charged with Hiding Documents in S-76 Crash Suit | Aviation International News

Sterbcow characterized the Sikorsky report as particularly damning. “The Sikorsky report concluded two major things: That the sill canopy structure of the helicopter likely failed before the windshield did, which is significant. The second thing [Sikorsky] concluded is that it takes very little force on the canopy sill, where this bird hit the chopper, to move the engine control levers out of fly far enough that both engines suddenly and simultaneously fail. This [helicopter] has a unique throttle quadrant design; there is not another one like it. Their experts came up with that.”

Sterbcow said conclusions raised by his plaintiff’s experts are even more troubling. “Our experts agreed that the [windshield] sill failed before the windshield [did], but we ran more sophisticated and additional testing [on the throttle quadrant] and we are able to make this thing move out of fly with much less force than Sikorsky did.” This indicates that it is likely that even a smaller bird could do the same kind of damage to an S-76, according to Sterbcow.

Last edited by SansAnhedral; 23rd Aug 2012 at 15:15.
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