Notes from Heli-Expo 2019
MD969 Combat Explorer
Also as everyone knows MDH is looking at ‘winged Explorer’ for entry into the US Army’s FARA competition. Anyhow with the tease MDH did on Instagram in the week leading up to the show , I kind of guessed it be an armed MD902. Anyhow I popped across to the MDH booth in the morning of the first day so here are my photos of the MD969 Combat Explorer. Shades of LUH 15 years ago if anyone remembers that ?
Cheers
Cheers
Thread Starter
Of course, Spunk and Finalchecksplease, you guys are right. After I blew the pic up on my home computer, *now* I can see the digital readouts nestled in the side of the FLI (or whatever Bell calls it). But still, if the analog representation is of N1 (or Ng), one must ask: Why is this thing turning so fast?? Is the Ng that near its limit? The weather during Heli-Expo was rather cool, and the 505 was at less than 2000 feet msl. Does the Arrius need to turn that fast to make 500 horsepower? Something doesn't seem right.. Does that 505 have a sick engine?
Or...is collective increase not proportionate to N1 increase? In other words, if the pilot in that picture began pulling in more power, would the N1 increase more slowly than the torque, and then the torque would become the first limit before the N1 reached its max? I can only hope so. Otherwise 505 pilots are going to be limited by N1-topping, which seems highly unlikely in a modern helicopter.
Contrary what some of you may think, I don't hate the 505. I just think don't think it's a very good design. I expected better...a lot better...from Bell. And seeing a couple of them up close and personal has not changed my opinion of it much. It just seems so...unfinished. (I visited the Tech-Tool Plastics booth and asked if they made replacement windshields for the 505 yet? They said no- that they'd have to get one so they could make the mold. I then asked if it would be expensive? And they went, "Oh God, yes!" And I laughed. I pity the first 505 operator that has to do a non-warranty windshield replacement. That's going to be pretty spendy.
Or...is collective increase not proportionate to N1 increase? In other words, if the pilot in that picture began pulling in more power, would the N1 increase more slowly than the torque, and then the torque would become the first limit before the N1 reached its max? I can only hope so. Otherwise 505 pilots are going to be limited by N1-topping, which seems highly unlikely in a modern helicopter.
Contrary what some of you may think, I don't hate the 505. I just think don't think it's a very good design. I expected better...a lot better...from Bell. And seeing a couple of them up close and personal has not changed my opinion of it much. It just seems so...unfinished. (I visited the Tech-Tool Plastics booth and asked if they made replacement windshields for the 505 yet? They said no- that they'd have to get one so they could make the mold. I then asked if it would be expensive? And they went, "Oh God, yes!" And I laughed. I pity the first 505 operator that has to do a non-warranty windshield replacement. That's going to be pretty spendy.
Are Airbus Windscreens inexpensive?
Thread Starter
Oooooh, SASless got a zinger on FH1100! I guess I "lost" that one. Sucks to be me! Ugh. That's pretty childish, although I must say par for the course on this forum.
(I see to my dismay that SAS still has me unblocked.) Look, I have no earthly idea how much Airbus windscreens cost. Anyway, what's that go to do with anything? It's not relevant to this discussion. All I do know is that I see that huge 505 windscreen, and I think about the private owner (like Nigel maybe?) who perhaps chose the 505 over the R-66 because of the price point, and then I think about what replacing one of those giant pieces of Perspex will do to his bottom line. Oh, and it will happen. Maybe not to him, but someone.
Kids, not everything that gets posted on an internet forum has to be challenged and argued by someone who assumes superiority. It's not a competition or a tit-for-tat fight.
(I see to my dismay that SAS still has me unblocked.) Look, I have no earthly idea how much Airbus windscreens cost. Anyway, what's that go to do with anything? It's not relevant to this discussion. All I do know is that I see that huge 505 windscreen, and I think about the private owner (like Nigel maybe?) who perhaps chose the 505 over the R-66 because of the price point, and then I think about what replacing one of those giant pieces of Perspex will do to his bottom line. Oh, and it will happen. Maybe not to him, but someone.
Kids, not everything that gets posted on an internet forum has to be challenged and argued by someone who assumes superiority. It's not a competition or a tit-for-tat fight.
My last post seems to have been deleted . As you can imagine it basically said what a plonker FH1100 is and that whatever awful thing Bell did to him when he was little .... He probably deserved !! FH ....you slag the 505 off at every opportunity , you are 100% wrong at least 90% of the time .... And then you have the gall to say you would like some owner to let you fly it !!!!!! Personally I wouldn't start it up to lift the Bambi bucket to put you out if you were on fire !!
please just go back to silly stories which you do quite well .
Nothing of yours has been deleted here, nigelh. Maybe you’re thinking of your posts on another thread?
Splot
please just go back to silly stories which you do quite well .
Nothing of yours has been deleted here, nigelh. Maybe you’re thinking of your posts on another thread?
Splot
FH-1100 garners his room name from his background where he was involved in the FH-1100 program somewhere in Florida.
I believe he also spent a fair bit of time flying for PHI in the past....as a lot of American Pilots have done at one point in their lives.
Sometimes....if you rake away enough leaves one can find an Acorn in his posts as he does have a fair bit of experience.
His people skills suggest the Marketing Office might not be the best of career fields for him.
I believe he also spent a fair bit of time flying for PHI in the past....as a lot of American Pilots have done at one point in their lives.
Sometimes....if you rake away enough leaves one can find an Acorn in his posts as he does have a fair bit of experience.
His people skills suggest the Marketing Office might not be the best of career fields for him.
So somehow Bell were responsible for his failure with the FH1100 ? It is a shame because if he could get rid of that big chip on his shoulder he would be an interesting contributor rather than the hat eating ( or not ) village idiot !!!
Blimey! Look out FH1100 you have incoming from multiple directions!! I wouldn't take BB2014's comments to heart all he ever bleats on about is the 505...probably has it tattooed on his forehead!
All this begs the question....why does the Bell 505 generate such a discussion each time it gets brought up in a conversation?
I was disappointed in the final product introduced by Bell as I had hoped they would finally replace the Jet Ranger with some very new technology and step out ahead of their competition.
The aircraft is what it is....and as all aircraft has its warts and shortcomings....but why is it so controversial?
I was disappointed in the final product introduced by Bell as I had hoped they would finally replace the Jet Ranger with some very new technology and step out ahead of their competition.
The aircraft is what it is....and as all aircraft has its warts and shortcomings....but why is it so controversial?
I would suggest one if the reasons is that most on here are pilots and not owners . That is not a veiled criticism I promise ! With my pilots hat on I would have liked lots of things ...... 3-4 blade hingeless head maybe , new composite cockpit maybe , smart finished cockpit maybe . Well that is all quite possible but would end up being a $3-4m minimum price ...( don’t forget the old L4 would be close to that now ) . I agree it would be possibly a great machine but would be a) too expensive for a lot of people , me included and b) it wouid pose a real competition to the 407 . As an owner I accept all the shortcomings of the 505 ( forgetting all the nonsense about looks as I don’t see it as a toy and it doesn’t effect its performance) for a good reason . I am actually buying one , not being paid to fly one !! And it is 1/3rd of the price it would have been ... so I compromised. I would still say it is a bargain @ £1m
inc extras when compared to any other new helicopter , inc the horrible R66 !!
inc extras when compared to any other new helicopter , inc the horrible R66 !!
Thread Starter
Yes, Chopper2004, very interesting! Thanks for posting those. From your pics we can see that at 95% torque(?) in level flight you are doing 112 knots. Hmm, I'm guessing you have all the seats full and are probably pretty heavy. That's "about" what a 206B on low-skids (with fairings) and no wedge windows would do. You're nearly full of fuel, and the fuel flow is 220 pph (32 gph), about in line with what a 500 horsepower engine should be burning..
It's nice to see some actual photographs of the numbers instead of relying on the anecdotal figures some people report.
It's nice to see some actual photographs of the numbers instead of relying on the anecdotal figures some people report.
Gross weight, DA, fuel load, and CG numbers would be nice to know as well.
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505
It kind of looks like the original Prius with a tail boom attached. As I recall, that car took a bit of criticism for its look and yet they've sold billions of em.
