Heliport (and thus, by implication, to BigMike too) - sorry, I was not aware of that ruling about companies people work for and will bear it in mind in the future

Bell told me that the 427 will carry on once the 429 is out and about, and the 427 remains a VFR-only machine. The 429, on the other hand, should be an "IFR=I Follow Railways" machine from the start.

The also told me that the 429 internals are close to a 145 and rather more than a 135, but as I didn't have a tape measure with me at Helitech, I didn't check to know whether that was sales talk or not.

Either way, the more competition out there, the better - it keeps them all on their toes and not their laurels.

Of all the elements that BigMike has mentioned above, Certification in Category A is the most important - this element provides confidence that he helicopter can operate, without limitation, over a hostile environment.

Certification in Category A is required for operations in Performance Classes 1 & 2 by JAR-OPS 3.

CERTIFICATION

Helicopters certificated in accordance with FAR/JAR 29 are said to be in the Transport Category; helicopters certificated in accordance with FAR/JAR 27 are said to be in the Normal Category. (The break between FAR/JAR 27 and FAR/JAR 29 is 7,000lbs or 3,175kg - a helicopter certificated in accordance with FAR/JAR 27 is limited to 9 passengers)

Note: the precise certification standard of any helicopter type is governed by the revision status at the time that the type certificate was first issued. As certification standards develop, they are improved but are not applied retrospectively. It is considered that for Category A, amendment 39 of FAR/JAR 29 is a benchmark revision.

FAR/JAR 29 Category A

Category A is a certification standard which, by redundancy or design assessment to reduce the probability of failure, provides assurance of continued flight. Engine isolation ensures that one engine failure is unlikely to lead to a second, and fire in an engine compartment can be detected, contained and/or extinguished. These provisions give a level of confidence that the helicopter can be operated for continuous periods over a hostile environment.

Category A also requires the provision of performance data so that One Engine Inoperative (OEI) obstacle clearance from take-off, through climb, cruise and landing can be calculated; this data includes: mass related take-off and landing procedures; heliport/helideck size limitations; distances and climb gradients (or rates of climb); and one-engine inoperative climb performance graphs. From these procedures and graphs an operator/pilot can establish a complete OEI flight trajectory.

Although the helicopter is highly manoeuvrable in the slow speed regimes and can take-off from extremely small sites, its relative inefficiency - with respect to fixed wing - in the climb and cruise means it has a limited performance envelope. This is sometimes manifested as a single-engine height limitation or a requirement for reduction in the take-off or landing masses to achieve obstacle clearance. However, the helicopter’s flexibility ensures that it does not need a runway and can take off from obstacle rich confined sites, and elevated platforms, with operational payloads.

FAR/JAR 27 Category A

Light twins certificated in accordance with FAR/JAR 27 may be certificated to Category A in compliance with Appendix C of FAR/JAR 27. Appendix C calls up a number of requirements from FAR/JAR 29, which provide a similar (but not equivalent) level of airworthiness and the provision of performance data. It should not be assumed that all light twins certificated in accordance with FAR/JAR 27 have been certificated to Category A (even if performance data is provided or available).

It is my understanding that the B429 should be the first helicopter that will be provided with data (distances) to enable (simple) compliance with Operations in Performance Class 2 - both onshore and offshore.

Jim

What is PAN anyway? Lots of discussion about it .
The only PAN I know of is to be found in the smallest room in the house:O

PAN = Police Aviation News which is written by PANews on this forum. PANews is an ex-Police ASU copper who now has very close ties with Eurocopter and Mcalpines. Most of the articles in PAN are simply cut and pasted quotations from more reputable magazines. Any articles he writes himself tend to be very anti to any aircraft manufacturer who isn't based in France and Germany. Just read through the last 12 editions and tell me where he has a bad word against Eurocopter. Yeah, the answer is none.

Having close ties with MDHi myself I can see just how untrue the majority of his anti MD articles are. Now that the industry has got to know him and his creative style of writing they are very wary of speaking to him thus the majority of his information comes from pro EC operators. He has even stated elsewhere in this forum that "if the non-Eurocopter manufactures and operators would speak to him his articles would be more accurate"!!!!!!!

All I will say is read PAN by all means but take it with a fistful of salt. If an article catches your eye then you can investigate it further through more impartial sources.

Dr A

Dr A,

Thanks for the info. Is PAN for sale in the newsagents or would I have to go to a trade show to get a copy?

HnH

Police Aviation News (or Mcalpines news as we used to call it) is available here www.policeaviationnews.com

You can subscribe by email

Good Luck

PANews has even used information displayed on this forum to fill the pages of his publication.

FNW

Thanks for the link: that's my old man on page 9, next to the B47!!! :D :ok:

Explorer flight manual
 

Hi Guys and Gals

Trying to get my hands on a MD 902 Explorer flight manual.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Re: Explorer flight manual
 

What, as in a fully updated, amended copy? Only if you either:

- work for an employer who owns one, or

- buy one yourself!

Re: Explorer flight manual
 

I belive that you can download one from the add below
http://216.19.207.5/Rotorcraft/Model..._Technical.htm

Re: Explorer flight manual
 

Thud and Blunder:

No, it would be a one off. I've just looked at the MD publications website - a one off is $110!!

I'm not so sure now!

Tomotomp:

Thanks for that, although that deals mainly with maintenance manuals

Re: Explorer flight manual
 

Trevor KC,

Seeing as you are in Wiltshire I assume you are looking at a 902 with 206E engines?

You can get it free from the MD website by registering. If you have trouble PM me and I will send you a copy.

FNW.

md 900
 

md 900 pilots can you tell me the cruise speed of the md900 . and are they a good machine for corporate use.

thanks
cs

MD900
 

CS,

I've been flying the MD902 / 900 for the last five years. I currently fly a private MD900. It will cruise at 120kts IAS at 75% TQ. It's very smooth and quiet. For the size of the a/c it has a good cabin size. We can take 5 pax comfortably, six if we put the front middle seat back in. It's not thje best machine for long sectors, it's lack of speed shows, but generally it's not too bad. Plenty of twin engine power and with the aux tank full you get two hours useable flying with 35 mins in reserve. Back up and spares have been the real problem over the last few years, but things have improved more recently, although it needs to get much better. Personnally, I'd be looking at an MD902 on the G-reg. Some of the N-reg machines are lacking when it comes to IFR, but obviously depends on the individual machine. Definately worth considering. PM me if you want.

I have been able to consistantly get 140 KTAS at @ 90% TQ over the last year. This has been from SL up to 13,500 and very consistant at usual T/O weights fo 5700-6000 on ferry flights. Usually 65-70% will give you a cruise of 125KIAS with a fuel burn of 500pph, 85-90% will give you another 10+ KIAS with a 100 PPH burn rate increase.
Currently you are limited to 100 KIAS above 6250 pounds, but that will go away soon. In the EXP program we get 6500 pound Vh better than 135 KIAS at DAs below 5000. We were given a limit of 126 KTAS for a demonstration program, and with 6500 pounds and external hoist installed we achieved that with mid-70s on TQ.
This info is with 207E engines installed. Also of intrest, 100% TQ is available up to above 8,000 ft DA before hitting any yellow EGT.
Cheers
Mark

Interactive program for training
 

I've just started training onto the 902 and was wandering if anyone knows of an interactive training program I can use?
Something that covers the IIDS and 2ndary display, and all emergies/warnings/failures.

Something like what Eurocopter has for the 120 & 350...

Can anyone tell me why there is a PUSH sticker on either side of the tail boom of the 902???

I can't find any thing printed on this :ugh:

For ground handling when the wheels are fitted. The vertical fins have no push decals on them

I'f love to know more about this pushing of the tail boom, very intriguing :confused:

http://www.mdhelicopters.com/publica...c08/sec08a.pdf

In exactly the same place on the 520 it says NO PUSH.......?!