Confusion about simplicity... NO!
Lemain: "Ipso facto, helicopters are not useful"
NO NO NO - helicopters are fundamentally simple, VERY SIMPLE - (despite the determination of some to not understand them.) and so they are of course very useful.
Helicopters fundamentally do not have to have 'FUEL SYSTEMS' with 5 fuel tanks with 6 fuel pumps 3 guages 4 non-return valves, 5 warning lights etc etc
Please stop refering to a helicopter as a complex machine and an aeroplane as simple.
The helicopter is fundamentally simple.
The complexity in a helicopter comes from the way we implement the principle.
Hydraulics/actuators/pumps/check vales/second engines/stability sytems/ECUs/DECUs/EBCAU/ Combiner Gearboxes (more than 12 Gear wheels in some helicopters!! ('tonly needs 2!)) etc etc are complex but are not neccessary in a helicopter.
The complexity of a helicopter like this is the result of an ignorance/regulation feedback loop.
Lemain says:
"As with all complex pieces of kit, reliability will be lower than with simple kit. There are more devices, all required to work within specification at the same time and each device has its own failure rate. It is an engineering certainty that with comparable standards of quality in design and manufacture, the simpler machine will be more reliable."
Yes AGREE - strongly.... helicopters are simple and designers/regulators should be mindful of the damage done when uneccessay complexity is allowed into a helicopter.
This sort of ridiculous complexity is tragic - the explanations of the various foibles and intricate complexity of the fuel system of the EC135 herein is an embarassment.
It is quite clear that many pilots here don't understand it - which is self evidently dangerous.
"Keep It Simple Shtupid" or KISS?