Robinson R44

[Bitmonx]

Re: R44 Corner

If your rotor overspeeds, there is danger of your T/R drive shaft beeing bent. The bearing inside of the tail boom can dampen only up to a certain RRPM. Unfortunately I have no longer access to a R44 Maintenance manual where everything would be explained in detail. I think up to a certain RRPM (I believe it is if your RRPM goes into the upper red arc of your rotor tach) overspeed all that has to be done is do a T/R drive shaft runout. Obvious there are limits on how much runout there can be and if too much the drive shaft will have to be replaced. In a major RRPM overspeed (I believe this is if the RRPM exceeds the upper red arc on your rotor tach) you will have to replace the T/R drive shaft. As i remember right, there is also in a major overspeed a requirement to dye check the rotor blade spindle for cracks and the M/R bolts have to be replaced as well. In a minor engine overspeed the A&P will have to drain all engine oil and check the sump filter and the sucktion screen filter for metal (I highly recommend an oil filter system from Airwolf, but Robinson offers that as well but I have not seen one nor do I know if it is just as good). In a major engine overspeed, send your Lycoming back for overhaul
Hopefully this helps a little. The R44 is handling the rotor speed much better that the R22. The R44 gives a pilot more time to react to rotor speed climb and or decay.

Cheers,
Bitmonx

[Hairyplane]

Re: R44 Corner

Thanks for that.

Obviously these things dont always get reported do they?! Are checks for overspeed routinely done? At what intervals? Is the tail rotor shaft checked for runout at intervals? Has there ever been an R44 failure attributable to overspeed?

Hairyplane

[Flingwing207]

Re: R44 Corner

Originally Posted by Hairyplane

Thanks for that.
Obviously these things dont always get reported do they?!

Correct

Are checks for overspeed routinely done? At what intervals? Is the tail rotor shaft checked for runout at intervals?

That's up to the owner/operator, otherwise only at the 600-hour and/or Annual.

Has there ever been an R44 failure attributable to overspeed?

Not that I've read, but it could have happened.
In a rotor overspeed, one area of the Robinson rotorhead that takes damage is the spindles and bearings in the pitch housings - the centrifugal force causes the bearings to make "dents" in the spindle races, causing mistracking and vibration. It can also cause the aforementioned T/R driveshaft damage. If RRPM exceeds a certain percent, the main rotor blades must be replaced. If the engine is also involved, an overspeed might mean a mandatory engine rebuild (depending on how high the RPM went).
All this horror story stuff being said, generally the only way (outside of malfunction or blatent abuse) to get an overspeed is when practicing autorotations or performing rapid decelerations. Engine overspeeds are also possible on startup, but on the whole seem fairly rare, with overspeed-related engine failures rarer still.
To be honest, I'd be more worried about folks exceeding MP limits in cruise or exceeding max gross - both are easy to do, especially in the Raven II, which has plenty of power to allow both. Obviously, as soon as your helicopter is out of your sight, you can't know what is happening to it, but as long as the folks flying it can be trusted not to practice autorotations and quick-stops, and are well-trained in general, the aircraft should be fine.

[Hairyplane]

Re: R44 Corner

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to explain it.

What sort of RRPM could be achieved with the lever flat to the floor immediately prior to take off and then opening the throttle further against the spring? ie the sort of thing somebody used to a manual throttle might inadvertently do?

My guess is that this sort of thing is done routinely on certification tests?

I'm thinking I should never let the thing out of my sight. My R44 will be the best one on the market in 3-4 years ish!

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

Hairyplane

[tangovictor]

Re: R44 Corner

I wonder why the R44 / R22 don't have a warning light, to indicate RRPM, one that has to be reset by an authorised mechanic, I doubt it would cost much.
TV

[rotorboater]

Re: R44 Corner

R44 Share

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anybody interested in an R44 1/4 share based in Manchester area.

30K plus vat Astro with 1200 hours 5 years to run

If so PM me

FLOAT TEST - Send me a PM, I might be interested
Thanks

[rotorboater]

R44 Value's

Sorry for posting this but the search isn't working again!

Recently someone posted a formula for working out the value of a 44 & a 22 based on hours/years left and I would be very interested to see it again.

Whilst I am on, does anyone know a reasonable value for a time ex 44 and the rebuild cost?

Thanks RB

[havoc]

Showcopters

Stumbled upon this site, thought maybe it would be of interest here
http://www.showcopter.com/photo_gallery.htm

[jc1234]

I have been looking at this recently and can confirm what i have been told

R22 Hull value £20,000.00

Allow £40 per hour

So machine with 1000 hour left 40 x 1000 = £40k + £20K hull = £60k

R44 Hull Value £38,000.00

Allow £60 per hour

this is basically what a dealer with give you for the aircraft if your buying you will need to add a bit

[Hairyplane]

Values

SO my 50 hour from new Raven 2 is worth IRO £180K?

Blimey, I should have bought a secondhand one....

Hairy

[rotorboater]

SO my 50 hour from new Raven 2 is worth IRO £180K?

I have just done a spreadshet of the costs of owning a new 44 and only doing 50 hrs a year and it comes out at £978 per hour if you have borrowed the money to buy it!

[Hairyplane]

R44 Depreciation

It arrived on November 3rd 05........

I would have flown it more had I not set myself some fairly conservative weather limitations in line with the still-wet ink on my licence.

I cant imagine anybody buying a new heli, only to fly it for 50 hours a year.

For those who have yet to have a go in one - be prepared to want one very badly. If you do buy one, try and keep your backside out of it on a good day.

If anybody might want a 600 hour 'never used for training' machine in 08, I'll keep a note. I would probably look to trade it then for a new one.

Hairy

[WLM]

HF for R44

We have been trying to find a suitable HF for our R44 for over 12 months now without luck. Can other operators share their knowledge on this matter?
Thanks
WLM

[quickstop205]

HF radio for R44

A radio that my be suitable is the QMAC HF manufactured in Australia. They did have a version that was aviation approved. Look at www.qmac.com for versions. Hope this helps

[up and go]

HF for R44

WLM ...would that be for use in SE Asia?
PM me ..

[MBJ]

Hf

King used to make a very good one which I used on a 350 but it had a wire antenna around the side and rear of the aircraft which is not a great idea if it breaks free. You couldn't certificate that arrangememnt in the UK but that may have changed with the EASA thing. However, I've never known one of the whip type antennas that stick out in front of the aircraft be much good because tuning was always an issue.

How about a small satphone as an alternative?

[chopperchav]

R44 service costs UK.

Just enquiring about what all you R44 owners out there would expect to pay for a 100 hour service. My bill was £2.5k 2 of which was on labour alone. This was on a R44 raven 2 with approx. seventy hours on clock.
Are my pants dangling around my ankles or is this fair value (if such a thing exists in the delightful world of helicopter ownership).

[22clipper]

R44 range extender

Does anyone have any experience with range extender tanks for R44s? Especially interested in commercially avalailable gear as opposed to home brewed systems.

[Mikeb]

That bill sounds a bit excessive. Was it just a regular 100hr or were there problems with the machine?
I found the maintenance cost per hour on the 44 to be lower than the 22. Much less unscheduled maintenance on the 44. With only 70hrs on the clock I would of thought that any unscheduled work should be covered by warranty.

A lot of maintenance organisations publish a price guide on each job i.e. 50hr, 100hr and annual. I found that if I gave them a hard time and told them not to do any work above the price guide without my approval the bills seemed to get smaller. Also mentioning other maintenance companies seemed to control the bills.

I think your pants are well and truly around your ankles........

[cpt hobbs]

R44 raven 2

I am thinkning of buying a R44 Raven 2 to operate sight seeing tours, air taxi and photo trips (and power boat racing coverage). Temperatures will reach up to 50C !! altitude is sealevel. If you have experience in the 44 could you advise me on its performance and if it would be a good machine to do the job? is the 2 that much better than the 1 model? Thanks for your words in advance, all posts more than welcome. cheers.