AS350 Astar/Squirrel

[Anthony Supplebottom]

RVDT thanks.

I think I will run the serial number through EC just to be sure.

[TBM700]

Eurocopter AS350 Tips Gizmo or Owners and Pilots association

Hello,

Does any of us has heard about a Owners and pilots association for the squirrel family ?

I am especially looking for any suggestion for a cargo luggage net.
Especially usefull when all seats removed and a plenty of things to put around the pilot in the cockpit !

[Savoia]

TBM: Read about the luggage net here and about the AS350 in general on this one.

Re: An Ecureuil owners club .. I've not heard of one. They are, well .. how can one put this tactfully .. rather popular!

[TBM700]

Grazie mille, molto gentile

[helicopterray]

There is a cabin netting available from Eurocopter for that purpose. I believe it is listed in the IPC, which I don't have with me at home.

There is a complete catalogue for aftermarket items here:

http://www.eurocopter.ca/wp-content/...-catalogue.pdf

[TBM700]

Thank you,
I don't see any in your canadian link.
But thank you for providing your help

[Savoia]

B2 start up

Hey Randy .. what was that word you used to describe how the rest of the world call the Astar!

[heliduck]

I am interested to know if the new type seats in the B3e stand up to a crash better than the previous type. Has anyone had the good fortune to crash one & walk away yet?

[hillberg]

Not one word about battery condition or voltage, The #1 reason for hot starts.

[Bush350]

B3 oil consumption

Hi all. I am a long time Astar Pilot and I recently took a job flying B3s. I am trying to figure out a way to reduce the oil consumption in these things. The vent line off of the oil tank ends just behind the exhaust stack and for some reason, raw oil gets sucked out and deposited all over tail-boom and tail rotor. Anyone have a fix for this yet? Aerospat doesn't seem to have any idea how to fix it so maybe someone here has the solution and wouldn't mind sharing.

Thanks

[victor papa]

When do you check your oil level and replenish? It is critical to chk the level as soon as possible after shutdown and no longer than 15 min after shutdown as stated in the FLM. The oil drains back into the MO1 so the level you see is not representative of the oil in the system but only in the reservoir. If after shutdown the level is on min or just above it is correct and do not add oil afterwards even if you can see no oil level in the side glass-if uncertain do a ground run to oil t 65 degrees and shutdown and check or open the spout and normally if level is ok you will see the oil.


She is dumping the excess oil out the breather to prevent over pressurising the system. Continuous over filling will lead to the mag seal in the MO1 and MO5 starting to leak.


Hope this helps

[Bush350]

Yup

Thanks for the reply. We know those things and run the oil level as low as possible to reduce the amount available to vent, but this doesn't seem like it is making any kind of difference. Adding oil as req'd is a no brainer but I am trying to figure out a way to stop the constant venting. Operating in the colder temps of N Canada makes for one very ugly a/c but in reality, there is no logical reason for the design to be just pulling oil out of the reservoir. I am hoping to find someone who has adjusted the vent pipe or changed the rigging on the line or something to significantly reduce the 1L/20 hrs of oil getting blown out the back end.

[victor papa]

Ok, clearly the biggest culprit is eliminated then. Next thing is to check rooting of pipe from reservoir where it makes the circle before the firewall. The circle in the pipe has to be a certain diameter as per the AMM. Biggest problem is tie wraps. Often the pipe gets tie wrapped tightly to the MGB stay on 2 places. This causes a kink or narrowing or square shape whatever you want to call it in the pipe. If tie wrapped then try without and ensure circle correct and pipe diameter constant in shape and diameter. Its very sensitive esp in cold weather due higher initial pressure. If you look at the T junction on the vent line just behind the starter whos drive is the breather, is their signs of oil mist or sogginess on the rubber pipe joining the T piece?

[Bush350]

When we first got the machine, one of the first things we did was change the loop on the vent line as it was too small. As far as the rest of your comments go, I am not on shift right now but will pass on your thoughts to the guys working on it now.

Thanks and will let you know how it works out.

[chiefedge]

One other thing to check is for coking in the vent tube its self, near the exit to the exhaust.
Look down the tube from the exhaust, you maybe surprised at the amount of carbon build up that is restricting the airflow.
We are having similar issues with the EC130.

[ROCK DOCTOR 123]

venting

Funny how most B3 will vent excessively, We took it upon ourselves to reverse the vent tube angle as a trial a few years ago and fixed the venting problem on our 5 B3s They are brerathing much better these days. Turbomeca is aware of the inharent venting and of our modification but did not discourage our practice..

[Bush350]

We cleaned the coking out of the tube pretty early but of course the problem persists. But reversing the angle of the tube is a new one. So you turned it down so that it faces the ground? It would actually make sense as I think the exhaust probably creates a vacuum and that is probably the greatest issue to overcome. Do you have a pic?

Thanks

[Nubian]

Is your goal to reduce the oil-consumption to zero? Good luck
1L/20hrs is really not a bad stat. 1L/5hrs is the limit and from Turbomeca's side acceptable, specially if it is working hard.
We had a B3 suddenly using 0,5L an hour, and that turned out to be a partly clogged oil return line.

I don't think Rock Docktor turned the went line upside down, but changing the angle of the top of the went line i.e cutting it slightly. I have heard this been done, but for me the most important thing is to never overfill the reservoir. I always add oil just after shutdown as Victor Papa mentioned, and never more than half way between the bottom of the glas and the MIN line when parked flat.

[ROCK DOCTOR 123]

Ventp Line

Your correct the vent tub is in its original location but just has the tube cut angle ground the opposite angle at 30 degrees open against the exhaust flow.

[Bush350]

That makes more sense. I will pass it on and see if it makes any difference. I can see reducing consumption to zero as nearly impossible but for an engine to be just sucking out oil and spraying it on the tailboom makes no sense at all.