EC225
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Age: 56
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They are Bullets!
We live in Newfoundland bye', they are bullets.
Usually do not have to go far to get one either, here is my puss about to carve this guy up for my lunch!
Usually do not have to go far to get one either, here is my puss about to carve this guy up for my lunch!
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Abz
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EC225 on the ILS
'Twas a windy night in Aberdeen last night. 70kts at 2000', 60 degrees off final approach track. On the surface, gusting 10 - 50 kts 40 degrees off the runway. This direction causes severe turbulence below 1000' as the wind is coming over a 1000' hill only a mile or so upwind.
Various 737s etc were going around due to the wind and turbulence. The ones that landed sounded like they had nearly crashed.
A fine night for EC225 pilot training!
So I was pretty impressed to see that, despite being generally thrown around the cockpit and one the pilots having to go down the back as he felt sick, the localiser and glidepath remained absolutely in the middle at all times. This was either because Mr Eurocopter has painted purple lines on the screen where Loc and Glide should be, or because he has done a pretty fine job with the autopilot software. Hopefully its the latter!
You want to slow down from 130 to 80 at 500' - no problem, just turn the knob and it slows down with loc and glide still stationary in the middle. I have over 10,000hrs but if I had had to fly it manually, I very much doubt I would have been able to keep within limits - or even within full scale.
Yup, I am one impressed pilot!
EC
Various 737s etc were going around due to the wind and turbulence. The ones that landed sounded like they had nearly crashed.
A fine night for EC225 pilot training!
So I was pretty impressed to see that, despite being generally thrown around the cockpit and one the pilots having to go down the back as he felt sick, the localiser and glidepath remained absolutely in the middle at all times. This was either because Mr Eurocopter has painted purple lines on the screen where Loc and Glide should be, or because he has done a pretty fine job with the autopilot software. Hopefully its the latter!
You want to slow down from 130 to 80 at 500' - no problem, just turn the knob and it slows down with loc and glide still stationary in the middle. I have over 10,000hrs but if I had had to fly it manually, I very much doubt I would have been able to keep within limits - or even within full scale.
Yup, I am one impressed pilot!
EC
130-80; how about 165-30, and back without the needles budging? That's what we were showing pilots on the 155 4 years ago. Ask the Group Flight Safety manager about his flight into Lagos one evening, in a 155 a few years ago, for an 'ILS and autopilots' story!
Glad to hear it's doing well though
Glad to hear it's doing well though
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Abz
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212 - The morning paper ran stories of trees falling down at the time we were flying so it was no ordinary night and that was the point of my post. Of course it will do 165-30 starting at 500' with the needles in the middle but on that wild night 130 was as fast as we wanted to go due to the turbulence - ie for physical comfort and the feeling that something might fall off if we went faster. When there is a 70kt crosswind (OK 50 lower down) slowing to 30kts would be a bad idea.
EC
EC
Sorry to be glib! I agree ECF certainly know their onions when it comes to autopilots.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: In Canada's breastland ...mmmm
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Eurochopper...
Was the exactly the same thing on our side of the pond. Air Canada didn't even bother coming to town and many airplanes went back where they came from with their tail between their wings after missing... I forgot to mention that the RVR was around 2000' and 100' of vertical vis on top of it all!
Only difference is that I was flying the older version of your new toy... the AS332L with the crappy analog coupler... which just couldn't keep up with it so I basically had to try to do what your digital one did so well... and I have to say that everything stayed within limits... felt like a roller coaster but with great results!
The guys in the 92 flew a similar approach as you did... cause they have all the new bells and whistles that modern technology as too offer too!
Wish I was flying a nice 225 too... javascript:smilie('
')
Just another day flying in the North Atlantic!
javascript:smilie('')
Was the exactly the same thing on our side of the pond. Air Canada didn't even bother coming to town and many airplanes went back where they came from with their tail between their wings after missing... I forgot to mention that the RVR was around 2000' and 100' of vertical vis on top of it all!
Only difference is that I was flying the older version of your new toy... the AS332L with the crappy analog coupler... which just couldn't keep up with it so I basically had to try to do what your digital one did so well... and I have to say that everything stayed within limits... felt like a roller coaster but with great results!
The guys in the 92 flew a similar approach as you did... cause they have all the new bells and whistles that modern technology as too offer too!
Wish I was flying a nice 225 too... javascript:smilie('
')Just another day flying in the North Atlantic!
javascript:smilie('
')
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Here and There
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Galapuss,
it is not flying "in the North Atlantic"
it is flying "above the North Atlantic"
your scary me man, reallllly scarying me
Had a chance to see the 225 up close and personal in ENZV, wow, the EC lads put on quite a show with it. And all that new funky stuff up front was impressive.
Smooth, fast, quiet, and lots of ponies!!!!!
it is not flying "in the North Atlantic"
it is flying "above the North Atlantic"
your scary me man, reallllly scarying me
Had a chance to see the 225 up close and personal in ENZV, wow, the EC lads put on quite a show with it. And all that new funky stuff up front was impressive.
Smooth, fast, quiet, and lots of ponies!!!!!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: On the move!
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EC225 Vertical Oscillations and Eurocopter Actions
EC225 Drivers,
I am about to go onto the EC225....Could anyone please provide me with some background information on the vertical oscillations the EC225 experienced at some stage and what Eurocopter's actions were to resolve this problem?
Cheers,
CJ
I am about to go onto the EC225....Could anyone please provide me with some background information on the vertical oscillations the EC225 experienced at some stage and what Eurocopter's actions were to resolve this problem?
Cheers,
CJ
CJ - I am sure it will be covered in your conversion course but in summary, the high lifiting power of the 5 blade head, the faster servos and the lack of damping on the collective channel could lead to a PIO situation (I hate that term because it implies its the pilot's fault, but never mind!) where an input to the collective when on the ground (lets say down) results in the airframe (and hence collective pivot) moving down whilst the inertia of the pilot in his sprung seat etc means his arm gets "left behind" so that he makes an involuntary input in the up direction, then the process repeats in the other sense and you get divergent oscillation.
It only occurs when the trim release is not pressed (something to do with the firmness of coupling between the pilot and the lever) so the moral is to always use the trim release when moving the collective on the ground. In fact its possible for the pilot to make an involuntary input to the collective without pressing the trim release, eg when taxying over a bump etc, so the rule we have is to either be pressing the trim release, or to be not gripping the collective at all. So remember it can't occur in flight and it won't occur if you are pressing the collective trim release.
Eurocopter have now modified the AFCS software so that on the ground, the system is monitoring for the phenomena and can put in an anti-phase input to the collective series actuator to prevent the effect from ever materialising. Bear in mind that in the 225, you engage the AFCS before first taxy and don't disengage it until you shut down.
If you do get it (because you didn't comply with the above), you just have to let go of the collective and it will stop instantly. However that can be easier said than done!
HC
It only occurs when the trim release is not pressed (something to do with the firmness of coupling between the pilot and the lever) so the moral is to always use the trim release when moving the collective on the ground. In fact its possible for the pilot to make an involuntary input to the collective without pressing the trim release, eg when taxying over a bump etc, so the rule we have is to either be pressing the trim release, or to be not gripping the collective at all. So remember it can't occur in flight and it won't occur if you are pressing the collective trim release.
Eurocopter have now modified the AFCS software so that on the ground, the system is monitoring for the phenomena and can put in an anti-phase input to the collective series actuator to prevent the effect from ever materialising. Bear in mind that in the 225, you engage the AFCS before first taxy and don't disengage it until you shut down.
If you do get it (because you didn't comply with the above), you just have to let go of the collective and it will stop instantly. However that can be easier said than done!
HC
Chief Bottle Washer
This photo was posted on D & G General Aviation by Ovation: Bristow operating from Broome, Western Australia -
Would that be ex G ZZSO? from this thread?
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/336...australia.html
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/336...australia.html
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
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RMAF to replace Nuris with Cougars
Interesting news: at one stage the AW101 appeared to be the shoe-in for this requirement.
From New Straits Times
Ageing Nuris to make way for Cougars
The Royal Malaysian Air (RMAF) will replace its ageing fleet of Sikorsky S61-A4 Sea Kings, better known as the Nuri, with Eurocopter’s Cougar EC725.
Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced this today after a honour parade at Wisma Pertahanan at Jalan Padang Tembak.
The Eurocopter Cougar EC725 is one of four types that were shortlisted by RMAF. The other three were the Sikorsky S92, the Agusta Westland EH-101 Merlin and the Russian-made Mil Mi-17 Hip.
The manufacturers of these helicopters took part in an open international tender at the last Langkawi International Maritime and Air Show.
It has been reported that the government is allocating US$600 million (RM1.93 billion) to initially buy 12 of the new helicopters for service until 2050.
Eight units are planned for the RMAF for the Nuri replacement programme, while the remaining four would go to the army.
From New Straits Times
Ageing Nuris to make way for Cougars
The Royal Malaysian Air (RMAF) will replace its ageing fleet of Sikorsky S61-A4 Sea Kings, better known as the Nuri, with Eurocopter’s Cougar EC725.
Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced this today after a honour parade at Wisma Pertahanan at Jalan Padang Tembak.
The Eurocopter Cougar EC725 is one of four types that were shortlisted by RMAF. The other three were the Sikorsky S92, the Agusta Westland EH-101 Merlin and the Russian-made Mil Mi-17 Hip.
The manufacturers of these helicopters took part in an open international tender at the last Langkawi International Maritime and Air Show.
It has been reported that the government is allocating US$600 million (RM1.93 billion) to initially buy 12 of the new helicopters for service until 2050.
Eight units are planned for the RMAF for the Nuri replacement programme, while the remaining four would go to the army.