R44 Rotor Blades

[Hairyplane]

Hi all,

My June 08 R2 is a low time, privately owned cosseted machine with excellent blades. The dilemma I face is whether to replace them in accordance with the AD. I have until June 16, i.e. 8 years, to take advantage of the 50% rebate.

If I replace them now, my machine will have blades with IRO 7 years left on them at the 12 year stage.

If I don't replace them, and continue with the current inspection regime, the blades life-expire IRO 6 months before the 12 year stage. They can of course fail inspection at any time.

My thinking is that I should continue with the old blades and plan to have the 12 year done 6 months early.

A further option is to sell the thing now, at a commensurate price, with a fresh Annual and buy a later one.

Whilst I'm looking forward to chuckling at the Robbieknockers posts - some are quite amusing - I would like to elicit some professional opinions, both engineering and commercial.

All the Best

HP

[homonculus]

Hi

I had to replace blades due to a defect after less than two years. When it came to the 12 year the blades just carried on until time expired and then the blades were replaced as a separate event. So the 12 year wasn't an issue

Personally I don't trust Robinson not to throw another wobbly so I never replace anything until the last minute but that is an individual decision

[cockney steve]

Have you not asked yourself....
" If the blades will last 12 years and time-out, why have Robinson issued an AD and giving a 50% trade-in allowance ?

I would suggest, you will have had 8 years ,come June 2016 -so, that's 66% of timed life....In effect, Robbie are giving you 16% extra time , free, and, more importantly, hopefully selling you a safer blade.

There has to be a damned good reason why they have issurd an AD....the blades are unsafe?and a damned good reason why they are giving you an incentive to buy some "new, improved, better-quality, safer blades"

If you can afford to run the machine and if you value your own unexpired life, reduce the risk and change the damned things NOW !!!! :8

[blakmax]

24 March ? 20 May 2015 | Flight Safety Australia (http://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2015/06/24-march-20-may-2015-3/)


Robinson R44 main rotor blades—main rotor blade debonded. SDR 510020934
While carrying out CASA AD/R44/25 Amdt 1, it was decided to remove both tip caps from the blades. Small blister found on the underside of the band line on one blade. After removal of corrosion it was obvious debonding had occurred. On other blade, fretting line on the trailing edge of the weight cap was found. P/No: C0167. TSN: 104 hours.

Now I am not sure, but I think that the Part Number ending in a "7" indicates that this is the new model blade. I'd welcome confirmation.

The thing that worries me is the TSN (Time Since New). Only 104 hours!!!!!

Now if my interpretation is correct, does this mean that the mandated replacement blades are already showing signs of disbonding at such an incredibly low TSN?

Regards

Blakmax

[homonculus]

Don't worry, those nice people at Robinson will then probably sell you replacement replacement blades and give you another 16% free.

[cockney steve]

Well, of course, the logical thing is not to buy the cheapest budget item of anything However, HP has got himself a Robbo, he's lumbered with it, so he needs to keep emptying his wallet into Robbo's (or should that be "Robbers"? :} ) bank account at regular intervals.

They have him by the nuts, he needs blades for it to be anything other than a very expensive garden-shelter.......now, if he'd stretched his initial budget a bit and thought "Guimbal"....he'd be sitting pretty, a happy bunny.

[Vertical Freedom]

Hey CockneySteve ~ Robber'son Flimsicopter :8 love it :yuk:

[mdovey]

Cockney,

I thought HP had an R44 not an R22. If more than 2 seats are a requirement\necessity, then arguments over the relative merits\benefits of Robbi versus Guimbal are mute - Guimbal doesn't have a >2 seat offering at present. There are plans\rumours of a 4 seat Guimbal but such a beast is firmly future tense!

Matthew

[cockney steve]

Well, in my defence, My June 08 R2 is a low time, privately owned cosseted machine with excellent blades

Guess I'm becoming a senile old fart.

I believe there are a lot of good, used helos out there which offer a greater chance of making "time-out".