Enstrom
My apologies for IVFLYER for not being able to respond sooner ...I've been away working ... actually flying an Enstrom 480B at the South African, AAD air show at AF base Waterkloof, then on a USA holiday. The massively de-rated C20W engine easily coped with the 5000 feet airfield elevation plus a 90 degree daytime temperature. Three displays a day for the period of the show and as good a week's flying as I've ever enjoyed. If interested there's a couple of cockpit mounted videos and a 'ground to air' of the Enstrom and the MD530F display sequences posted on You Tube and possibly FB.
I also flew the Safomar Enstrom FX crop sprayer and it was good to see the old girl neatly decked out in working clothes. Unhappily we experienced an incorrect mixture engine failure 800 feet over Pretoria, but as we all know ... something of a non-event in the type.
Many of the 28C/280C versions I've flown seem to suffer high engine oil temperatures after a prolonged period of high power and low air flow as in a climb or hover. Like the Schweizer 300, the factory have available a second cooler which is fitted in series as per the service instruction. It is normally mounted right side in a 5 o clock position to the air filter. Fitment drops the temperature by around 20-30 degrees and I've always taken the view that two coolers are essential for training or when the ambient is circa 80 degrees plus. But in constant hover mode, it is important that the number one unit is routinely checked for matrix blocking. Some airframes had coolers fitted with manually removable 'butterfly' flaps for hand removal of debris. (eg grass) It's a simple retro fit.
Talking to the new Enstrom CEO at Waterkloof, it seems with the new Chonquing ownership, the Menominee factory are heading for greater manufacturing capability and sales. The forthcoming 180 trainer being the first new model to appear, so no need to start forecasting a factory demise. Rather the opposite I feel.
Just to confirm dear Ray Jones at Monmouth is always prepared to be the wandering minstrel for Enstrom type checks plus of course my good mate, Tim Price down south. You won't find two nicer or more type knowledgeable guys. Leon Smith at WAP is type approved too. I'm always happy to help or fly with existing or new Enstrom owners with some pre-LPC familiarisation flying or specialist auto handling. (to date I'm up to 5,500 'skids-on' practice autos - just two for real!) PM me or look me up on the internet.
So retirement or not, I still rate the Enstrom marques highly ... good looking, reasonably low operating costs, quiet, great handling, even greater autorotation capability, ultra safe, wide roomy cabin, dedicated 100lb capacity luggage locker, 85lbs fuel burn per hour giving 100 mph in the cruise and as we all know, the type can be trimmed to fly 'hands & feet off' ... I often wonder why people buy anything else !!! Hard hat firmly on.
Best wishes from an Enstrom COF. Dennis K.