When the S76A started the procedure was to start both engines with the rotor brake on and then release it. This causes two things. A peculiar low frequency vibration caused by two C30s running together and then a GODalmighty whizz up by the rotors. This was especially interesting if the tarmac was either very wet or frosty. The S76 fitted with C30s had two bifilars; a 4R for the airframe and a 5R for the engines. When CTBM fitted the Arriels they found that the 5R bifilar wasn't necessary so we went down to the single bifilar of the present.
We flew it offshore single pilot so we would shut down one engine and stop the rotors during the crew change. The deck crew did everything as the pilot stayed in his seat. We sometimes, if only a small fuel lift was required, put it all in the starboard tank and use the crossfeed to balance the fuel when airborne. However, someone, somewhere had an engine stop doing that so we had to take fuel in both tanks.
Initial the blade spindles had one slight larger (yellow) to counteract the weight of the rotating scissors. After Jerry Hardy's blade separation they replaced three with a yellow spec. spindle and an even bigger one for the yellow blade. One of the causes was believed to be the spindle bearings migrating out of the sleeve so they were retained with tie wraps. Two of them would, apparently, keep the bearings in.
In the winter of 1981 the snow clearing in Bristow's dispersal was practically non existent and the were ridges of snow all over the apron. The 76' nosewheel doors kept colliding with these so we removed the doors and flew without them. The C30 also developed a habit of lobbing turbine blades around so in order to stop them interfering with the other engine there were armoured wraps around the engines. This was good practice for the Arriel because they weighed a ton and we now had to have two pilots to keep the C of G within limits.
I never did like flying the S76 offshore. Its performance in icing conditions was appalling. The best flights were the British Grand Prix circuses and going down to Redhill and flying the old man to various mansions and chateaus for lunch.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 17th October 2013 at 19:08.