Dutch LYNX fleet grounded

[ozsander]

Just wondering if westland has grounded all lynx squadrons!
Dutch navy grounded the whole LYNX fleet last tuesday because of faulty Tail rotor drive shafts! New shafts had to be fitted to all aircraft before juni 19 and sinds then lots of problems with these new shafts!Bearings wearing within 20flying hours!!

Is this only 4 the Dutch or has westland grounded all LYNX users??

[Harpooner]

In answer to your question no, they haven't. Out of interest which one of the TRDS? We used to have problems with number 5. Is it bearing wear and not the shaft /input pinions again?

Regards to all at De-Koy, we haven't sailed past you for far too long now. I have almost forgotten the taste of that unpronounceable beer you serve!

[DANGLEBERRY]

Haven't heard a peep about Tail Rotor Drive Shafts for some time.
The bearing hangers still crack,but the new mod TRDS seem to be doing the trick, shame it took two pilots and a technician to endex before wastelands started looking at they're manufacturing practices and to beef up the flanges.

[ozsander]

Hello, The Dutch Lynx fleet is still grounded and chances are this might take a while! No is not concerning a specific trds but affecting all 5 shafts. The Dutch fleet was updated last month with all new TRDS's supplied bij Westland. Apparently the new TRDS's are fitted with a bearing made in Germany, these bearing are different to the previous old bearing but we found out they are using the same old part number! Most of these bearing require 10 times more force to move the bearing withing the bearing house than is allowed, these new bearings have also caused problems to the brackets which hold the shafts into place! Most have to be realigned after 20 hours of flying. Westland had some shafts in stock but they were tested with the same BAD result! Its affecting only the dutch navy as we must have bought a cheap batch of these shafts.
Anyway I think you are talking about the Heineken beer?

Hope westland and the Dutch get this problem sorted out before more accidents start to happen! Maybe it's time for a new helicopter!!
A LYNX pilot:confused:

[motionlotion]

Yhoo Oz,

R U guys still on the deck? have U heard fm the "Company" yet?


Have U defined the real problem?

[ozsander]

Dutch Lynx helicopters are after 8 days still grounded for trds problems! Its is unsure when we get the right parts and guidelines from westland to get us back in the air!

Westland is still unable to answer a lot of concerned questions from the dutch navy regarding trds, bearings and brackets the holding shafts into position.
The dutch found a number of brackets holding the trds offset/out of line! Oil coming from the new shaf bearings is heavely contaminated with metal from bearing wear!

Hopefully we'll get some clear answers soon so we can do our SAR duties again saving lifes when assistance is called in for. I guess Dutch airforce is covering part of our SAR duty but I know they are unable to hoist over water during night-time ops!! Bell412 (yellow tweety) is not fitted with the right equipment/instruments to operate over water after sunset.

A grounded LYNX pilot!!

[Harpooner]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, could it only be the Dutch Lynx that are effected?

What are the odds of there being two different bearing manufacturers in operation? Chances are if they have switched production company then we are in line for some German ultra tight bearings ourselves…..

IPT to monitor please

[ozsander]

Yeah sounds very fishy 2 me 2!!!! Are we the only onces operating with these shafts and bearings! That would be a coincidence I guess but don' believe in that one.

Dutch Navy never conducted 2 modifications on brackets a year or so ago because the modificatie was not a mandatory mod! Should this mod have been done? Instead of mandatory should it have been compulsary? Did other Lynx operators do the mod?

Anyway I dont believe only the Dutch are flying around (grounded at the moment) with these foul SHAFTS AND BEARING which are german made (bearings), besides westland adviced the dutch to replace all shafts last week with once on the shelfs at westland but after a few tests shafts were showing the same problems than the Dutch shafts!!! who else is flying with these things?

GET YOUR NAVY TO CHECK WITH WESTLAND before it's to late! Why isn't westland warning all other operators or checking with them what problems if any they are experiencing and which bearings are fitted! Motto "shut up and lets not tell anybody" doesn't work in aviation I guess!

SAFETY GOES UP FRONT WESTLAND! GET IT SORTED!!:confused:

[ozsander]

All the problems with trds will lead RNLN to cancel participating in the royal international air tattoo at Fairford next week! Will there be other Lynx choppers?:eek:

[motionlotion]

Thanks Oz,

Just about to do some "fishing" - u never no, might even c u at Farnborough next week?

ML

[motionlotion]

Hi Oz,

It would appear that the cause is under investigation which includes alignment procedures your end!!

Hope "things" get sorted soon.

ML

[JSBell]

Which mark of Lynx is this? The 1/3/7 or 8?

[Harpooner]

Nice to see your interest, please try to use your 'Air Force monthly' or your 'Janes' for more info on Mil topics; but to answer your ques: It matters not what mark of Lynx, only the skin colour and some minor electrical changes differentiate the fleet. The whirly'round bits are the same.

[insider info]

The Mk3 transmission isn't all the same as 7, 8 & 9. But this issue will affect all UK Lynx

(JSBell - Mk1 went out a while back!)

[ozsander]

Hello, yes we are still grounded with same problems after 2.5weeks.
Westland has been to the Kooy and I think other LYNX users will be grounded very soon as a request has been given by westland to all Lynx users to take Soap and debris samples and note breakout forces on all tail rotor drive shaft bearings! (3bearings on 4 horizontal shafts). Westland has given a max value for soap between 50ppm and 100ppm but after each ground run the dutch had values over 100ppm! westland was there to make sure all test were done correctly and I was there and I can tell u they were all very surprised and they know westland has a big problem on its hands!

So at least until monday NO FLYING
will be airborne 2morrow in a seminole PA44 doing my fixed wing multi IFR rating so I can join an airline shortly!;)
by the way its a mark27!

[Harpooner]

On the off-chance that we are grounded on arrival at next destination I have instructed the Nav to Overshoot the next port and stop in Nice instead!

It is now Friday at home so I imagine we have a weekend in credit before it all goes pete tong.

[ozsander]

Nice would be a great choice to hang-out for a while! Better than northern europe anyway. all the best and get the flying in while you guys still can.

[motionlotion]

Yhoo Oz,

The word is u guys will b in the air sooner than u think! A change to ur alignment procedures and 50 hr checks - jobs a good one. What a pity it wasn't done sooner - u could have been at Fairford!!

Ho Hum.

[Harpooner]

My plans of the week in Nice are now cancelled! we had a PI issued which was the same as the Dutch one and no problems have been identified with our set up or bearings. Believe me if there was a snag our engineers would find it if it meant no flying for a while!:cool: