PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - North Sea heli ditching: Oct 2012
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Old 16th Nov 2012, 13:38
  #404 (permalink)  
HeliComparator
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Aberdeen
Age: 67
Posts: 2,090
Received 39 Likes on 21 Posts
M O E

TIGD was of course a tail rotor drive fairing that came open and hit the tail rotor on short finals, there were some injuries but none fatal.

Sorry but you haven't got it right. Chip detection is still just as important as it was in the 80s. Chip detectors are useful for defects when debris is released - eg bearing surfaces degrading etc. But what it was no good at was detecting a crack where no debris was released.

That is the point of HUMS, it can in some cases detect a non-debris-releasing fault before catastrophy. There is certainly no suggestion of continuing to operate a gearbox that is generating debris on the chip detector, just because HUMS says it is OK.

The two techniques are complementary.

There were a lot of debris-releasing faults in the early days of the 332L back in the early 80s, but these were fixed by changes in operational procedure, design and materials, not by the addition of HUMS.

If you are not happy flying this type of helicopter, nobody is forcing you to do it and I suggest you get a different job, or one flying a helicopter that cannot possibly suffer any mechanical problem. Good luck with that!

In truth I'm afraid I read your post as an uninformed gripe against the Super Puma family, trying to "stir it" based on incorrect speculation. You are of course entitled to publicy air your opinion even if incorrect, but it would be better for the industry and the passengers if you desisted.
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