Bell Helicopters and BLR square off over Strake equipped Tailboom cracks

[SASless]

Bell Helicopters (BHT) is taking issue with Bell 204/205/212/412 Tail Booms modified by the Boundary Layer Research (BLR) Tailboom Strake kit.

Bell issued an Information Letter dated 23 November 04 that attributed cracks at station 143.38 to the STC approved Tailboom Strake modifcation invented by BLR.

BLR takes issue with the allegation and is undertaking research efforts to refute Bell's position on the origin of those cracks.

BLR issued a letter on 16 December 04 setting forth its case and plans to address this situation.

It is common knowledge that Bell Tailbooms crack, have cracked, and in all liklihood will continue to crack. Wonder why BLR earns the fame now.....reckon Bell is trying to shift the blame elsewhere?

The letter from BLR makes interesting reading.

[NickLappos]

SASless,

I will bet dollars to donuts that the strake fellows did a pop-corn analysis to justify the structural attachment of the strake, and that Bell has real data to show why the cracks come with the strakes. One of the issues manufacturers have is the way STC's are approved, often by local folks who have rudamentary engineering capability, and sold to local FAA guys who are well-intentioned but also are less sophisticated.

As an example, I saw an engine inlet approved for one helicopter that had a tube from the outside to the engine, with absolutely no de-ice capability. It was an icing hazard waiting to happen, but was approved "above +2 degrees C OAT" according to the op limits. The guys who did that should have been forced to fly it in some light icing so they could truly understand what silence sounds like.