Flying in steel toe boots

[sandy helmet]

Does anyone know if there's any restrictions on flying in steel toe boots? Does it affect the compass deviation, and would it be particular to a certain type of helicopter? i.e the 212 or 412?

[SASless]

Depends on how fragile your ego is .....if you can't stand the QFI stepping on yer tootsies...might be a good idea. Actually on the 212/412 the steel toed wellies might be just the ticket.....so when you are using your toes to hold the door open you do not have to worry about getting your nails clipped too short. Always wondered why Bell Engineers were never smart enough to figure out how to make a door catch like the German MBB guys did on the BK-117. But then again...that would have required a tremendous waste of R and D money !

Just make sure you degauss them steel toed wellies before you fly with them....or do a compass swing with your friendly "X" engineer to confirm the effect they are having.

[NickLappos]

easiest way to see is to just pass the boots into the cockpit while beedy-eyening the compasses (wet one and HSI). If it creeps or leans, it is a problem. To nail it, point at 4 different headings to be sure it has no effect (which is all a compass swing really is, albiet at 8 points of the compass). My guess is that the boots have no effect on the HSI (the flux valve is usually in the tail cone to prevent transient changes in electrical state from changing the swing) and little effect on the wet compass.

Ever wonder what happens if 5 roughnecks climb in with steel boots and tool boxes? Methinks steel toed boots is not much to worry about!

Also, at the risk of sounding too unconservative, a few degrees on the compass would look like a cross wind that you would correct for anyway, so what the heck!

[SASless]

Nick,

One must never forget the magnetic downhole tools that always seem to find their way into the tail boom baggage compartment on the 212/412.....right next to the flux valve. I bet you test pilots have problems with that magnetic personality you all seem to have.....guess the brass thingys are not a problem except for the cyclic restriction issue?

[Lu Zuckerman]

On the 214 the rotor system was isolated from the airframe by an elastomeric teeter bearing. This allowed a very strong magnetic field to develop in a torroidal shape (like a doughnut) centered on the Jesus nut and the rotor shaft. This strong magnetic field caused the shaft and Jesus nut to magnetize.

The strength of this magnetic field had an effect on the two standby compasses to the point that they would barely move with a course change and the VOR to the effect that it would give false readings.

The magnetization of the rotor shaft was also a problem on the AH1-J and the 412 but not to the same level as on the 214.

This residual magnetism was far in excess of the level allowed in the overhaul manual regarding passing the metal elements through a degausser after Magnaflux.

:cool:

[B Sousa]

Compass....... We still use those?? Thats the thing that goes with a deviation card that may or may not be in the aircraft??
I guess its nice if you cant see the sun in daytime or stars at night, but the only time I really ever use one is to set the little thingy in the dash.
Maybe its strange but I never seem to get lost and my cross country trips seem to be as long as they get.
Guess Im just lucky.
Steel toe boots.......hmmm, how about my Spyderco??

[widgeon]

i heard a story about when they installed the 4 KW electrical heater in the BO105 it caused a major deviation on the magnetic compass , think they might have wired it wrong or something/

[sandy helmet]

Bert..............
I guess you only need to make sure its turning steadily as you're flying them circles around the Virgins huh?!? ;) ;) :cool:

[IHL]

On the Jet-Ranger / Long Ranger steel toe boots used to nock the compass off 5 to 10 degrees. The compass was located ( if I remember correctly) on the right hand door post just above your right leg.

[BlenderPilot]

I always enjoy reading your posts filled with weird, but interesting information,

Gracias.

[Heli-Ice]

Steel toe boots = cold feet, mind the magnetism. :D

[Hummingfrog]

I have been flying with steel toed boots for 10+yrs, as they are compulsory on the rigs, with no effect on the compass. Did cause scatched heads when I went through the metal detector in the airport though!!

HF:O

[ShyTorque]

I think this might be a very serious problem worthy of highly time-consuming and expensive research.

This will take the Shyt Aviation Group a while to conclude........:hmm:

Ah, yes.

Sandy Helmet,

Next time the aircraft gets a compass swing, YOU do it and wear them boots of yours in the cockpit. Any errors will be compensated for.

Right, that'll be time (time and a half cos it's my day off) plus expenses, including hotel room hire (I just needed one, don't ask why, I already said it's my day off) electricity and internet charges.

$50,000 please. Or a beer at the next bash. :E