Gazelle: Flying, operating, buying
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this is a way of keeping temps lower why do you ask ?
a extract from a check list from a uk civil gazelle
if the t4 exceeds 600c during the start boost pump to off and back on when stabilised below 600c
just checked uk military gazelle flight reference card and that says the same
a extract from a check list from a uk civil gazelle
if the t4 exceeds 600c during the start boost pump to off and back on when stabilised below 600c
just checked uk military gazelle flight reference card and that says the same
Last edited by md 600 driver; 7th Sep 2010 at 13:37. Reason: added info about military gazelles
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
Is it standard practice to select the fuel pump off at that point during the start cycle where T4 begins to climb and then, once T4 stabilises, to return the fuel pump to on?
Earl
Earl
Depends on a whole host of factors, but generally the Aztazou IIIN or IIIN2 is a civilized beast that seldom gives you a hot start. Normal practice (or certainly used to be) was switch the boost pump on for 30 seconds and then initiate the start cycle. As MD600 mentioned, you would only cut the pump if it looked like going over 600C, which was a very rare occurrence.
In many ten of thousands of hours service with the MoD, the number of genuine engine failures involving Gazelles can be counted on a few fingers. Causes range from broken turbine bearing oil feed pipes (due to misalignement and vibes) the odd FCU failure or two, but none of the traditional thrown turbine blades or exploding combustion chambers you might expect on an engine of this vintage. Very nicely engineered.
One of the main recurring faults with engine starting is that in the Start Control Unit (SCU), which is a little box of electrical gizmo's in the rear manhole, there is a relay that carries quite a bit of current during starting. This causes pitting and arcing across the contacts and eventually it will fail and prevent the engine starting. You can usually get a couple more starts out of it by cleaning the contacts with sandpaper, but you need a new SCU before too long.
Avoid imitations
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The Gazelle Astazou engine start sequence is almost identical to that of the Puma HC1, which preceded it in RAF service. The advice about turning off the BP to regulate start temperature is carried across from the Turmo IIIC4 engines.
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earl
i may dispute mw as the largest i think you may find its falcon espesially for military types and possibly the hungarians for for civils ,mw definately for uk registered civils
the hot and high gazelle is the 342J [civil] and 342L military these both have the astazou 14 engine
steve
2 of my toys
342L1 flying in yorkshire
gazelle 342L1 on first test flight in hungary after overhaul note no cowlings fitted
gazelle 342J civil on High Skids and solid door panels serial no 1775 this aircraft is less than 1500 hours from new
342J on test flight in hungary after 12 year overhaul
back home in yorkshire at breighton
i may dispute mw as the largest i think you may find its falcon espesially for military types and possibly the hungarians for for civils ,mw definately for uk registered civils
the hot and high gazelle is the 342J [civil] and 342L military these both have the astazou 14 engine
steve
2 of my toys
342L1 flying in yorkshire
gazelle 342L1 on first test flight in hungary after overhaul note no cowlings fitted
gazelle 342J civil on High Skids and solid door panels serial no 1775 this aircraft is less than 1500 hours from new
342J on test flight in hungary after 12 year overhaul
back home in yorkshire at breighton
Last edited by md 600 driver; 10th Sep 2010 at 13:10.
Join Date: Jun 2010
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F-GFDG clearly lives in a rural and not suburban location and I think the 'short sleeve order' is standard fayre in civilian circles!
David Gold:
“My chief executive at Gold Air, Will Curtis, always thought that the strip at the training ground was too short, and he said, I wish you would get a helicopter.”
Within a short period Gold had taken the advice to heart and was soon on the way to a PPL(H), under the guidance of instructor Norman Collins.
“The actual flying in the helicopter is just like fixed wing, although with a bit more rudder requirement,” explained Gold. “Then you come to the hovering and it separates the men from the boys.
The instructor said to me, We’re going to try some hovering. I’m going to say you have control and then I’ll say “I have control”. OK, that’s normal instructor talk, I thought. So he says, “You have control" .. the next thing I hear is "I have control.” I was actually in control for two seconds on my first attempt at the hover and was shocked that my 35 years of flying meant nothing when it came to this task!
Once the hover had been mastered, however, Gold went on to gain his PPL(H) and now regularly pilots his own Gazelle 1, registered G-OLDH, to and from business meetings.
David Gold:
“My chief executive at Gold Air, Will Curtis, always thought that the strip at the training ground was too short, and he said, I wish you would get a helicopter.”
Within a short period Gold had taken the advice to heart and was soon on the way to a PPL(H), under the guidance of instructor Norman Collins.
“The actual flying in the helicopter is just like fixed wing, although with a bit more rudder requirement,” explained Gold. “Then you come to the hovering and it separates the men from the boys.
The instructor said to me, We’re going to try some hovering. I’m going to say you have control and then I’ll say “I have control”. OK, that’s normal instructor talk, I thought. So he says, “You have control" .. the next thing I hear is "I have control.” I was actually in control for two seconds on my first attempt at the hover and was shocked that my 35 years of flying meant nothing when it came to this task!
Once the hover had been mastered, however, Gold went on to gain his PPL(H) and now regularly pilots his own Gazelle 1, registered G-OLDH, to and from business meetings.
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Question
I have a question.. why is the gazelle's attitude in level flight slightly downwards?? where as other helicopters seem to have a level attitude in level flight
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- CopSrour (What on earth does that mean?)
In my attempts to discover an answer to your question I have been somewhat surprised by the diversity of claims made about the type of rotor system used on the Gazelle. Indeed, I have seen it referred to as just about every type of rotor system available!
In my ignorance (and in the absence of any first hand exposure to the craft) I imagined that the 341/2 utilised a fully articulated head. Then I read about cooperation between Aerospatiale and MBB resulting in a cross between an articulated and rigid head and then ... I read about the Gazelle being a semi-rigid rotor and became thoroughly confused!
I have also been surprised at just how little techncial information is out there on this subject.
So far, the best I can come up with is a brief description in a report published by the University of Belgrade on rotor flow calculations and which uses the Gazelle system to establish data.
The report is here: http://www.mas.bg.ac.rs/istrazivanje...3/1/Bengin.pdf and on page 33 you will read a short description of their assessment of the Gazelle rotor.
Hopefully, before long, a Gazelle expert will answer this and LebanesePilot's question above.
Earl
In my attempts to discover an answer to your question I have been somewhat surprised by the diversity of claims made about the type of rotor system used on the Gazelle. Indeed, I have seen it referred to as just about every type of rotor system available!
In my ignorance (and in the absence of any first hand exposure to the craft) I imagined that the 341/2 utilised a fully articulated head. Then I read about cooperation between Aerospatiale and MBB resulting in a cross between an articulated and rigid head and then ... I read about the Gazelle being a semi-rigid rotor and became thoroughly confused!
I have also been surprised at just how little techncial information is out there on this subject.
So far, the best I can come up with is a brief description in a report published by the University of Belgrade on rotor flow calculations and which uses the Gazelle system to establish data.
The report is here: http://www.mas.bg.ac.rs/istrazivanje...3/1/Bengin.pdf and on page 33 you will read a short description of their assessment of the Gazelle rotor.
Hopefully, before long, a Gazelle expert will answer this and LebanesePilot's question above.
Earl
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
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The Gazelles I used to instruct on (the RAF HT2) had oil lubricated lead/lag hinges (single blade pin), pitch change hinges and flapping hinges.
In my book that makes it a fully articulated rotor head.
The drag dampers are called "pseudo" dampers and are elastomeric in construction (bonded strips of sandwiched steel/rubber), rather than of the more conventional hydraulic type.
Perhaps it's the latter causing confusion?
In my book that makes it a fully articulated rotor head.
The drag dampers are called "pseudo" dampers and are elastomeric in construction (bonded strips of sandwiched steel/rubber), rather than of the more conventional hydraulic type.
Perhaps it's the latter causing confusion?
Which component is producing the most noise on a Gazelle, the engine or the tail rotor? I would guess it is the fenestron. The Dauphin is a noisy beast as well for probably the same reason.
Is it uncomfortably noisy in the cockpit as well?
500 Fan.
Is it uncomfortably noisy in the cockpit as well?
500 Fan.
Actually, I felt that the greatest noise emanated from the MRGB. On the pilots course we were told that testing showed the Fenestron to be relatively quiet.
It is, however, very effective at shredding curious Labrador's snouts.
It is, however, very effective at shredding curious Labrador's snouts.
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Latest from MK Helicopters was they they were working on obtaining a batch of Gazelles from 'somewhere'.
yes there are some coming in from the french military to the biggest ex military gazelle specialist in uk Falcon helicopters , there is another 2 from hungary , one from asia ,one just come in from usa, But at the minuite it seems to be mostly outgoing sales only mainly to russia/ukraine
dont know of any specific meets but falcon have a day sometimes in summer at bourne park , and breighton airfield has a helicopter day at in yorkshire where a few gazelles get to
Last edited by md 600 driver; 10th Nov 2010 at 09:29.
HeliFirst
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G-ZZLE
Great to see photo of G-ZZLE. - Lucky enough to teach the owner to fly and then talk him into buying this ship several years back. We flew her into Waddo for the 2009 and 2010 Air shows. She is already booked for next year too. Hope to see you all there.
HeliFirst
HeliFirst
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And now the Americans....
...I work with lotsa French Canadians....they love it ha ha...
Payback for calling french fries.....freedom fries, god bless G.W.B....
...I work with lotsa French Canadians....they love it ha ha... Payback for calling french fries.....freedom fries, god bless G.W.B....