214ST Back in production

[megan]

Bell’s 214ST is set to become the latest legacy helicopter to go back into production to address global shortfalls in rotary-wing firefighting capability.Australia’s McDermott Aviation, which owns the type certificate to the twin-engine, 8-metric-ton helicopter, is planning to produce new-build versions of the rotorcraft. It will be powered by either the General Electric CT7/T700 or Safran’s Aneto turboshaft. McDermott currently owns all 24 of the remaining operational 214STs of the 85 that were built. It has been using them on firefighting contracts, most notably in Greece, where the company had 14 aircraft deployed last year.

https://aviationweek.com/aerospace/a...N1000000180327

[SplineDrive]

Wonder if they're going to try and make the original fiberglass blade design or design a replacement blade with more modern manufacturing methods and resin systems?

[rrekn]

A 5-bladed system would be nice... avoid those drag brace issues...

[griffothefog]

You cannot change the blades, they’re the only thing that kept us sheltered in the hot desert sun 😁

[ericferret]

Originally Posted by griffothefog

You cannot change the blades, they’re the only thing that kept us sheltered in the hot desert sun 😁

Where else could you hold a dinner dance?

[212man]

Originally Posted by rrekn

A 5-bladed system would be nice... avoid those drag brace issues...

I know one incident about 40 years on the North Sea (the same aircraft ditched a year later but was refurbished) and one in Australia a couple of years’ later, but how prevalent is it since then?

[ericferret]

Originally Posted by 212man

I know one incident about 40 years on the North Sea (the same aircraft ditched a year later but was refurbished) and one in Australia a couple of years’ later, but how prevalent is it since then?

https://assets.publishing.service.go...ll_10-1985.pdf

PAGE 12

[Prawn2king4]

Flew them on the N Sea - lovely beast.

[212man]

Originally Posted by ericferret

https://assets.publishing.service.go...ll_10-1985.pdf

PAGE 12

Yes, that’s the one I’m referring to. Interesting typo that says they all evacuated “with injury”!

FN ditched a year later after a partial loss of collective control. If I’m not mistaken, one of the crew was in both incidents!

But I was asking how common it has been since, based on the poster’s comments about drag brace problems……

[la grua]

Another potential rotor head option has already been 'experimented' with. The penultimate airframe built (the ex CHC LN-OMM) was fitted with a 4-bladed rotor as part of a new rotor development programme (possibly during the early stages of the 525 project). It had a short life in this configuration, being written off in 2012, as a result of a TGB failure.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Would love to know:
- the story of the ROPAW 214ST that came out unscathed from some sort of drift-down procedure after a control-link failure(?) around 1983-4, and
- whatever happened to the ATUDB/RBrAF 214ST that was bought for Hassanal Bolkiah's father shortly before he died, and which led the National Day flypasts in which I participated 1998-2000

[Democritus]

Originally Posted by 212man

I know one incident about 40 years on the North Sea (the same aircraft ditched a year later but was refurbished) and one in Australia a couple of years’ later, but how prevalent is it since then?

I plead guilty to the North Sea drag brace incident - was it really 40 years ago!!!!! Yes, it was the same co-pilot who was in the same 214ST which ditched 18 months or so later.

[KiwiNedNZ]

Interview we did with Johnny Mac at Verticon.

Verticon Johnny Mac

[griffothefog]

I was flying in a S76 that day out of ABZ when the mayday call went out, the sounds on the transmissions were very upsetting, god knows what it was like for you poor buggers…

[Democritus]

After the initial loud bang when the drag brace broke it was the vibrations that distorted the copilot’s voice when he made the mayday call.

[SASless]

If I am not mistaken that Co-Pilot just got out of the hospital following an A-Fib issue and is doing well following an overnight stay,

[chopper2004]

Verticon - McDermott Aviation

Great to see the McDermott Aviation bird on the show floor at verticon 2025 so here are my photos inside and on departures



something to bear in mind






Did get curious about the digital cockpit upgrade...

Great that there is a rebirth.

cheers

cheers