Agusta AW139
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Italy UK and USA
EGPWS
According to Demented, 95% of the AW139 pilots he knows, fly with the EGPWS circuit breaker pulled.
Would any other operators care to share their company SOP on use of this "system designed to give the pilot superior situational awareness and to warn the pilot of..........impending danger of controlled flight into terrain.
Are you encouraged to manage the system through selection of Low Alt, G/S Cancel, Terr Inhibit and Mute ON/OFF switches, or do you pull the breaker regardless of day/night, the flight conditions and altitude/phase of flight?
speds
Would any other operators care to share their company SOP on use of this "system designed to give the pilot superior situational awareness and to warn the pilot of..........impending danger of controlled flight into terrain.
Are you encouraged to manage the system through selection of Low Alt, G/S Cancel, Terr Inhibit and Mute ON/OFF switches, or do you pull the breaker regardless of day/night, the flight conditions and altitude/phase of flight?
speds
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 673
Likes: 1
From: On the green bit near the blue wobbly stuff
I'm really interested to know, because, obviously its a system intended to improve situational awareness and safety. I have noticed it being routinely disabled, almost without a second thought. This suggests that either: 1. Its being disabled because it is not fit for purpose, in which case the warning thresholds maybe need changing, or: 2. Its being disabled because that is what people are being taught to do, in which case the training system needs revisiting.
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: the top of the flag pole
Total Electrical Failure
Having read the thread about the tragic events in the Gulf, I noticed the following quote.
As all 139 pilots well know, this is not the case.
This made me wonder how other 139 pilots feel about the display suite as fitted to the 139, with regard to the very remote chance of total electrical failure when flying without external visual reference.
I make no comment at this point as I don't want to 'steer' any response, but I would be very interested to hear other people's views.
Red
Even an all EFIS cockpit has standby electromechanical horizons, ASIs VSIs and altimeters. Any experienced IFR pilot is capable of operating on these even in the event of a total electrical failure.
This made me wonder how other 139 pilots feel about the display suite as fitted to the 139, with regard to the very remote chance of total electrical failure when flying without external visual reference.
I make no comment at this point as I don't want to 'steer' any response, but I would be very interested to hear other people's views.
Red
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Near the Mountains
Standby Instrument
Being one of the "seven or so" crews referred to earlier on who managed to get the Battery Master off instead of the Battery Main while dealing with Double DC Gen failure in the Sim, I can attest to the thoroughly unpleasant sinking feeling when everything, and I mean EVERYTHING in front of you goes black!
From initial Ground School, I've had some personal reservations about the lack of an independent power supply for that instrument. It does seem extraordinary that a perfectly simple mistake - two adjoining switches with broadly the same function in principle - can result in a blackout. If it happens IMC, no screens and no APs means you're headed for the obituary columns.
However, an independent supply for the instrument might only provide attitude reference and, presumably airspeed and altitude information (yes, I appreciate that's all it takes to stay alive) with all the other information normally available coming from NAV sources which depend upon power from the primary electrical system being lost. Don't know how it might be designed to work in practice.
22
From initial Ground School, I've had some personal reservations about the lack of an independent power supply for that instrument. It does seem extraordinary that a perfectly simple mistake - two adjoining switches with broadly the same function in principle - can result in a blackout. If it happens IMC, no screens and no APs means you're headed for the obituary columns.
However, an independent supply for the instrument might only provide attitude reference and, presumably airspeed and altitude information (yes, I appreciate that's all it takes to stay alive) with all the other information normally available coming from NAV sources which depend upon power from the primary electrical system being lost. Don't know how it might be designed to work in practice.
22
Last edited by heliski22; 11th June 2008 at 11:22.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Near the Mountains
Standard Tow-Bar
The fancy (and very expensive) portable tow-bar is clearly placarded to say there are no safety devices (shear pins) and to exercise caution while towing. Fair enough!
The standard tow-bar (equally expensive but it looks a lot chunkier and creates the impression of a bit more value for your dollar) has no such placard and has a very sexy-looking row of replacement shear pins mounted along the side.
If you don't know already, exercise caution, boys and girls - the shear protection is only available in longitudinal (fore/aft) load. If you apply excessive lateral load (nose wheel lock still engaged) the main tube will fail, assuming the nose wheel lock assembly doesn't come asunder first, of course.
According to Agusta, it is designed this way and must be replaced, not repaired in such an instance.
So, if you push or pull too hard in a straight line, you replace the 50 cent shear pin. If you push or pull too hard sideways, you replace the $21,000 tow-bar. Che C***o!!
So, after a review of procedure and the proper use of the Locking Pin, we've now re-placarded the main tow-bar as having no safety devices (it might as well not have) and appropriate caution is to be exercised!!
The standard tow-bar (equally expensive but it looks a lot chunkier and creates the impression of a bit more value for your dollar) has no such placard and has a very sexy-looking row of replacement shear pins mounted along the side.
If you don't know already, exercise caution, boys and girls - the shear protection is only available in longitudinal (fore/aft) load. If you apply excessive lateral load (nose wheel lock still engaged) the main tube will fail, assuming the nose wheel lock assembly doesn't come asunder first, of course.
According to Agusta, it is designed this way and must be replaced, not repaired in such an instance.
So, if you push or pull too hard in a straight line, you replace the 50 cent shear pin. If you push or pull too hard sideways, you replace the $21,000 tow-bar. Che C***o!!
So, after a review of procedure and the proper use of the Locking Pin, we've now re-placarded the main tow-bar as having no safety devices (it might as well not have) and appropriate caution is to be exercised!!
Last edited by heliski22; 19th June 2008 at 15:50.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Malaysia
AW139 question
I am currently in Vergiate conducting the acceptance on our first AW139 (long nose) for Saudi Aramco. On our first flight I noticed an "in and out" roaring / vibration coming from the front of the aircraft. The test pilot also commented on it. The next day, we installed the FLIR, which is mounted in front of the nose landing gear and noticed that the roaring / vibration was not present. We were flying at the same airspeeds.
I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this. We do have the nose landing gear doors removed. It starts at around 130 KIAS and gets worse as speed increases.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Rennie
I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this. We do have the nose landing gear doors removed. It starts at around 130 KIAS and gets worse as speed increases.
Any comments would be appreciated.
Rennie
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 8
From: the land of redemption
......."We do have the nose landing gear doors removed".......
Without that gear doors 193 is noisy.
Did you have also landing gear down, didn't you?
Do you remember test pilot's name?
Maeroda
Without that gear doors 193 is noisy.
Did you have also landing gear down, didn't you?
Do you remember test pilot's name?
Maeroda
