PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - R22 Increased MAUW - Feasible?
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Old 18th Jul 2014, 22:35
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Ascend Charlie
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Great South East, tired and retired
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You quoted the 206 having 2 weight limits, one for AUM if the skids have to support it, and a higher limit if the extra load was on the hook.

The engine and transmission could always cope with the upper weight, but the skids and crashworthiness after a touchdown auto could only cope with 1450. So, if anything went wrong while above 1450, the pilot had to pickle the load to get below 1450 for the landing.

After many years, Bell strengthened the landing gear to allow 1519 all the time - but the restrictions to speed in the CG envelope still applied.

The R22 rotor RPM decays so fast that I wouldn't want to be flopping around with a higher-than-normal pitch setting, and the judgment required for a heavier touchdown is considerable.
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