Is the Merlin still 'good enough' for Marine One?

Mr Sikorsky will doubtless be expending considerable resources to try and 'prove otherwise', but that doesn't mean he'll succeed.

Even with the accidents, the EH101 is clearly better and safer than the S.70. And the S.92 is a stretched, enlarged S.70, taking many of the S.70's most vulnerable systems and components.

And the insular and inward looking Americans may not associate the EHI EH101 Merlin as closely as we do with the Lockheed Martin US101.

Jacko

Maybe they could order the US101, then cancel it the morning after the Presidential election, then order a completely different aircraft called the US Cormorant. None none of the electorate will ever notice.

Worked for the Canucks!

Fuel2 noise:
well said...very well said. Let's get on with rumouring and don't let the truth stand in the way of a good story!

Oh please. The people making the decisions will bloody well know where it was designed, and which components will be built where.

Mk 1 Twin Wheels!
 

[QUOTE] Easily answered because there was only one reason at the end of the day; yeah, you guessed it.......................cost!


T O'G ..................yes you are absolutely right - in fact most of the cost lies in redesigning and rebuilding the Scott McTaggart PRISM deck handling system to take twin wheels!:{ :{

There was a thread about the Presidential Bid on Rotorheads a short while ago that had some good links/points.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, its here: Presidential Bid

dangermouse,

You have an odd way of trying to squelch rumors when you yourself speculate that it might be a maintenance error. To say that "Peoples livelihoods depend on it" and then slur those who maintained the stricken bird is the height of hypocrisy.

I guess you were asleep when the Canadian aviation authorities were quoted as saying that the tail rotor hubs crack so regularly that they change them constantly. I don't think the Canadians said that the maintainers were so sloppy that they cracked their aircraft.

There is a difference between a bald rumor and the discussion of known hub plate cracks followed by a helo that is reported to have tossed three tail rotor blades, experienced subsequent control difficulties and then crashed.

It is also quite interesting that this "crashworthy" helo got so bent up in a hover accident that two people had to be cut out from it.

All the above is as reported from authoritative aviation sources, not rumor.

dangermouse, talking about "Peoples livelihoods depend on it", how much do you want to bet that the accident report won't be filed until after the US Presidential Helicopter selection! Since the livlihoods you are worried about are obviously Westland and Agusta, what say you?

So what's the buzz about when the Merlin will be back in the air again?

Guess there will be a lot of coffee drunk at Culdrose and Benson for the foreseeable future..... Naturally it will be spun as a huge success in the mean time!

Heard a rumour that a civvy EH101 may be embarking on Argus next week..

Gen dit or crew room sh*t?

Truly gratifying to see so many BOI members and accident investigation "experts" giving their verdict on the causes. . .

Sarcasm OFF!

And as far as I can tell Dangermouse did no speculating per se, just threw an idea out there for consideration that so many seem to have neglected as a possible cause. I mean, god forbid that the user may have been at fault rather than the manufacturer eh?

(Oh yeah, I have no loyalty to WHL/Agusta at all, may have once upon a year, but not no more)

Merlin ???
 

Youre all missing the point guys. The Grey Merlin is an awful awful aircraft.

Good points - Fast, furious, far, smooth

Bad points - Its based in the back of beyond. Its miles away from any sort of civilisation. Who in their right minds wants to fly an aircraft based in never,never land.

Move it somewhere closer to reality and you will win a lot more fans

IF it is the gearboxes cracking, one could speculate that there is some other component exciting a vibration leading towards the gearbox. Thus causing stress at the gearbox.

My experience is that in mechanical construction the problem is not always the obvious.

A flat tye is not usually the fault of the tyre but usually the haphazard activity of the builder who threw the screws onto the ground. No offence to any builder.

I would make a wild guess that there is a source of vibration building up within the tail boom and tail rotor components. I could be wrong but now I've put it in print I can only now await the official report.

They are putting an EH101 on Argus very soon. The rush is on because if the fleet are grounded for any considerable time, then atleast Argus will have a very expensive (and expansive) portacabin for free!!:D

A different way to look at it.
 

To: Head Turner

Or, the stress analysis on the gearbox casting was faulty or the design cross section at a critical point was inadequate for the applied loads resulting in a crack in the casting. Or, the FMECA questioned the gearbox design pointing out the possibility of the gearbox cracking and the FMECA was ignored. Apply this, as you will.

:E :E

in the air
 

Saw a Merlin over Yeovil this pm, so I guess things are getting back to normal

In the air
 

Saw a Merlin over Yeovil this pm so I guess things are getting back to normal.

DM:

PPossibly, but as Yeovil is home to Westlands, might it have been a test flight of some description ?

Living in the Duchy I can vouch for the fact that the sky has been Merlin-free so far. Wonder how the boys are entertaining themselves at Culdrose and Benson.... guess secondary duties are polished to perfection and the sim is working around the clock.

I heard a rumour that they were getting contractors in... to re-cover the mess snooker tables :p

...anyone got an update on the coffee and uckers factor at CU/Benson? Sky still Merlin-free?