So let me get this right:
A helicopter pilot factory authorised to repair a blade, has a blade strike miles from anywhere (otherwise he would have easily been able to recover it by road)
He then fixes it with araldite or whatever, rings the factory to tell them what he has done and uses his wife to do the duplicate inspection and goes on his merry way.
Oh - nearly forgot - he does this not once but again on another occasion.
It depends on the extent of the bull$hit TC. You should know.
A helicopter pilot with a Maintenance Approval to give him all the privileges of an LAME issued by the NAA CASA.
Are we talking about a huge crack in the blade or a PU tape maybe lifted or split after a minor impact with something?
Roads or what you may be familiar with as what is described as a road are rare in Australia.
Fixes it with Araldite or whatever - Araldite is in the EC135 AMM Consumable Materials list along with lots of "whatever" as well.
Rings the factory and tells them what he has done - possibly after he had actually done the repair in accordance with the
maintenance manual after reading the damage limits? Evidence that the limits were not exceeded would be indicated
by the fact that no further action was required after consultation with ECD?
Uses his wife to do the "duplicate inspection" - wouldn't be required. Although as a licensed and type rated pilot she would have been fully entitled to if required.
Are you advocates from Aussie, telling me this is acceptable practice?
Apparently so. Who knew?
I met Richard on a few occasions in passing back when he operated a Gazelle.
Eccentric maybe but certainly no idiot.
So its back to the Mail Online TC - nothing to see here.