Bell 505 Main Rotor Blades
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: hayling island
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Bell 206 blades
Same problem on new 206 blades, our old set went to 3500 hrs no tape, new ones all furry with oxidisation within weeks.
Having to put blade tape on them to slow erosion and give the blades some protection.
Were flying exactly the same way as we have for years, think blade construction has changed or metal composition?
Having to put blade tape on them to slow erosion and give the blades some protection.
Were flying exactly the same way as we have for years, think blade construction has changed or metal composition?
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Manitoba Canada
Age: 72
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Lets see if I got this right .... a Robinson pilot has to carry a coin to tap his blades for hollow spots .... and a Bell pilot has to carry a piece sandpaper to keep his blades smooth.
HAAAA ... sorry . ... I couldn't help it ... !!!!!
Lets see if I got this right .... a Robinson pilot has to carry a coin to tap his blades for hollow spots .... and a Bell pilot has to carry a piece sandpaper to keep his blades smooth.
HAAAA ... sorry . ... I couldn't help it ... !!!!!
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Florida
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This ^^^. Keep in mind these blades are the same construction as 206L3/4 blades which the leading edge is made from aluminum vs stainless steel as used in other blade designs. Being aluminum it tends to "wear" in that fashion especially if fly through rain or land on unimproved landing areas. And just as with the 206 blades, the leading edge requires periodic dressing to smooth out that "wear" which if done properly will lead to a long blade life. So from my experience the "wear" in your picture would not be classified as "serious" but more normal wear/tear given the environment operated in and the preventative mx performed. It wasn't uncommon for a 206 mechanic to keep a file or sandpaper in their back pocket during daily inspections after a day of flying in rain or landings on the beach.
Isn't it called 'exfoliation'?
With the 206 I used to fly in Florida salt air, we used to periodically take a rag dampened with WD40 and wipe the blades down, leading edge and the rest of the blade.
Not quite. Exfoliation is a severe form of intergranular corrosion that starts from a manufacturing defect. While there maybe trace surface corrosion in the OPs picture, the majority is erosion damage from flying in rain. The WD40 part you remember is the weekly blade inspection recommended by Bell which usually includes dressing the leading edge so you can apply the WD40.
When maintaining Long and Short Rangers in the Persian Gulf a good while ago we tried two types of blade tape.
One was the regular 3M clear tape which wasn't the most durable but was easy to apply and remove.
The other was a Dunlop product; thicker, black in colour with a backing paper which had to be removed before applying MEK to activate the adhesive. Good product.
We were fortunate to be in a somewhat less restrictive regulatory environment than is the case these days.
One was the regular 3M clear tape which wasn't the most durable but was easy to apply and remove.
The other was a Dunlop product; thicker, black in colour with a backing paper which had to be removed before applying MEK to activate the adhesive. Good product.
We were fortunate to be in a somewhat less restrictive regulatory environment than is the case these days.
