FAA mandates replacement of R22 & R44 main rotorblades
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RHC Service Bulletin- You shape the new blades to stop the cracks?
Evidently there is a new SB from RHC requiring owners to modify the blade shape on -7 blades to reduce stress concentrations??? R44 SB 89 23 Feb 2015 refers.
Surely they did fatigue testing of the -7 blades as part of the certification program???? Or did they just grandfather the design from the old stainless skins? Given the relatively low hours on the NZ cracked wing, you would expect that any plausible fatigue test would pick up the problem before the blades went into service?
The plot sickens!
Blakmax
Surely they did fatigue testing of the -7 blades as part of the certification program???? Or did they just grandfather the design from the old stainless skins? Given the relatively low hours on the NZ cracked wing, you would expect that any plausible fatigue test would pick up the problem before the blades went into service?
The plot sickens!
Blakmax
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Watch the tutorial video. No need for a certified mechanic, your local body shop paint and bondo guy will do a better job. If I were the design engineer that put that obvious stress riser into production I'd be ashamed to go to my college reunion and face my fellow engineers.
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As a Robinson owner (long time) I'm appalled and embarrassed.
Like an earlier poster, I thought for a minute this was a really good April's Fool joke.
But alas, this is how low Robinson has sunk.
Like an earlier poster, I thought for a minute this was a really good April's Fool joke.
But alas, this is how low Robinson has sunk.
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holy 
.... You might as well ask the local blacksmith to get that SB done for you.
Just realized, it gets even better if you turn on the volume.
.... You might as well ask the local blacksmith to get that SB done for you.Just realized, it gets even better if you turn on the volume.
Last edited by Spunk; 1st Apr 2015 at 16:52. Reason: I turned on the volume :-)
Somebody please confirm that this SB is not meant to be conducted by the Pilot or Owner but a certified service technician. Last time I checked I'm neither allowed to change the engine oil let alone take off the blades of a helo, and now I'm entitled to modify blades at a crack prone location myself, using a felt tip pen and a file?
Anyone know how much Robinson charges for that genuine trailing edge tapping coin?
P.
Anyone know how much Robinson charges for that genuine trailing edge tapping coin?
P.
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Rumour of bond issues
Heard a whisper that one company undertaking the -7 blade mods actually found a disbond. Maybe there is a connection between disbonds in the transition zone and the initiation of cracking?
Blakmax
Blakmax
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This is a Robinson Joke site ..surely,
this is appalling, and I am sure somebody, somewhere when the get out from "Traction" will take Robinson for all the washers they have, they really need to take a good long look at how this appears to us the "Schmucks " out here in La La land.
Well done Franky Boy.. what credibility you might have had, has gone.!
Peter R-B
Lancashire UK
this is appalling, and I am sure somebody, somewhere when the get out from "Traction" will take Robinson for all the washers they have, they really need to take a good long look at how this appears to us the "Schmucks " out here in La La land.
Well done Franky Boy.. what credibility you might have had, has gone.!
Peter R-B
Lancashire UK
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Since there's a bit of it going around,
I was wrong too, I thought the SB was an April Fool's joke, but I've now seen a machine with the modification done.
It's still a joke, but not the vaguely amusing kind I had in mind.......
I was wrong too, I thought the SB was an April Fool's joke, but I've now seen a machine with the modification done.
It's still a joke, but not the vaguely amusing kind I had in mind.......
ZK-IPY
ZK-IPY is the registration of the mishap R44 with Dash-7 blades, owned and operated by "Over the Top Ltd", which crashed on 19 February 2015, killing both pax on board. Potentially related Robinson Dash-7 blades problems are extensively discussed in this thread.
Is there any update on the related accident investigation? The CAA of New Zealand website doesn't seem to have the accident report yet.
However, ZK-IPY apparently is no stranger to blade damage. A quick Google search reveals the following:
- Raven II, serial # 10555, built in 2004. ZK-IPY was taken off the New Zealand register in or around April 2015, after the recent accident.
- A set of new, "lastest" MR blades, plus new TR blades, were fitting at 1,020 airframe HRS in or before March 2012.
- This is reported in a sales advertisement from March 2012, when Over The Top Ltd, seemingly without success, tried to sell off this aircraft.
- On 11 January 2013 the same chopper then had an accident when "a wind gust caused the main rotor to strike the tail boom during start-up, damaging the rotor blades as well as the tail boom".
I do not know whether those blades damaged in 2013 were repaired or replaced. Or whether the damaged blades, alternatively the replacement blades, were already Dash-7 blades. Possibly the Dash-7 blades were fitted to ZK-IPY only at a later stage. As far as I know, the Dash-7 blades only came out in 2013, but I am not sure.
Is there any update on the related accident investigation? The CAA of New Zealand website doesn't seem to have the accident report yet.
However, ZK-IPY apparently is no stranger to blade damage. A quick Google search reveals the following:
- Raven II, serial # 10555, built in 2004. ZK-IPY was taken off the New Zealand register in or around April 2015, after the recent accident.
- A set of new, "lastest" MR blades, plus new TR blades, were fitting at 1,020 airframe HRS in or before March 2012.
- This is reported in a sales advertisement from March 2012, when Over The Top Ltd, seemingly without success, tried to sell off this aircraft.
- On 11 January 2013 the same chopper then had an accident when "a wind gust caused the main rotor to strike the tail boom during start-up, damaging the rotor blades as well as the tail boom".
I do not know whether those blades damaged in 2013 were repaired or replaced. Or whether the damaged blades, alternatively the replacement blades, were already Dash-7 blades. Possibly the Dash-7 blades were fitted to ZK-IPY only at a later stage. As far as I know, the Dash-7 blades only came out in 2013, but I am not sure.
Proposed new AD applicable to R44 and R66 main rotor blades
Helicopter Association International (HAI) posted in its May 27, 2016 newsletter this link that apparently shows a new airworthiness directive (AD) proposed by the FAA.
The proposed AD would apply to "Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with an MRB part number (P/N) C016–7, Revisions N/C, A through Z, and AA through AE; and Model R66 helicopters with an MRB P/N F016–2, Revisions A through E."
"The proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the MRB for a crack, corrosion, dent, nick, or scratch, and either altering the MRB or removing it from service."
Comments regarding this new proposed AD can be addressed to the FAA and must be received by July 26, 2016.
The proposed AD would apply to "Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with an MRB part number (P/N) C016–7, Revisions N/C, A through Z, and AA through AE; and Model R66 helicopters with an MRB P/N F016–2, Revisions A through E."
"The proposed AD would require a one-time inspection of the MRB for a crack, corrosion, dent, nick, or scratch, and either altering the MRB or removing it from service."
Comments regarding this new proposed AD can be addressed to the FAA and must be received by July 26, 2016.
ZK-IPY
I do not know whether those blades damaged in 2013 were repaired or replaced. Or whether the damaged blades, alternatively the replacement blades, were already Dash-7 blades. Possibly the Dash-7 blades were fitted to ZK-IPY only at a later stage. As far as I know, the Dash-7 blades only came out in 2013, but I am not sure.
It is confirmed that the mishap helicopter at the time of the accident was equipped with the latest Dash-7 main rotor blades. Both blades fractured, but it was determined that this was due to overload, not fatigue:
Both main rotor blades had fractured [...]. Because the fracture of the red blade was near the point where another R44 blade had failed, which the CAA suspected had been due to fatigue, the Commission had this blade examined by a metallurgist at the earliest opportunity. The metallurgist’s initial assessment was that the blade had failed in overload. Subsequent detailed examination by the same laboratory and a further examination by an ATSB metallurgist confirmed this. The ATSB also determined that the failure of the blue blade was also the result of overload and not fatigue. Both blades were examined for signs of any pre-existing delamination or dis-bonding, and none was found.
Last edited by Hot and Hi; 2nd Sep 2016 at 15:23. Reason: Style
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After a quick search I found this thread, so rather than starting a new one, I thought I would resurrect it and ask my question here. I know there were issues in NZ and Australia, albeit a few years ago, but does anyone have more recent experience of debonding on the latest Robinson MR blades, type C016-7? (R44 Raven II) Please, I don’t want to hear a load of Robinson bashing replies. I know how many people on here feel about RHC and their products. Thanks in advance and Best Regards. Rich B.
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Been flying the -5's on a 44 for the past two years, and filling out my first flight of the day inspection log mandated by the US AD. No sign of any problems with them. Next MRB inspection is due in about 10 hours. And they will be replaced by a set of -7's per the US AD by the end of the year, which is too bad since they would otherwise still have probably 800 hours on them by then. I have not heard of any problems with the -7's yet, but maybe this thread will change that.
