It could have something to do with the adhesion to the stainless as opposed to aluminium. I am sure if you got the microscope out there would be a lot less to grab a hold of.
Maybe these new paperweight blades can't be tied down with any tension.
I would bet my left nut that this is not operational:ooh:

Bellfest
 

on the money, finger tight will do!

BTW Imabell's last is an R44 blade.

Is that the first R44 blade?
 

I thought that until now the R22 had the prob and R44's were immune, I'll do a much closer daily now.:eek:

Does the R22 have the same AD for a daily tap test as the R44?

Are we smashing our blades to comply with an AD? :ugh:

Not that we should be tapping on the doubler, but along the leading edge bonding...

CYHeli
 

Tap test.

No - re the daily, it is required at the 100 only on the R22, section 2.410 para 13 [refers 9.130 (h)] , yes – re the bond joints and very much yes re the extreme care - with the coin, - according to the genuine maintenance manual a 1965 US quarter- no less, please don’t tell the insurance company!

R44’s - still very prone to the trailing edge debond prob, I hear, – there was a god awful bit of jungle talk recently about a dude who – a) found one – b) got up it with the metal set – c) flew it for a few days – d) upon his return to base his chiefy told him to stick it, (and all) when he was asked to pretty it up!

BTW – shouldn’t the nose bump be the international dit-dah-dit, not dah-dit-dit? Not trying to be the bastard – like!

I am flying a r44 raven 2 just comin on 2000hrs..... both blades are starting to delaminate at the doubler position the same spot as shown in pictures by imabell....... I have been told that it is still safe to fly and that i should keep an eye on it and that the delamination is "within limits",....... until when??????......
Does anyone know any other r44s that have come across this recently? And are they still flying or grounded.????

Flying Poodle
 

Suggest that may a bit of an unfair question.

What about get out your red biro and generously wave it around the M/R while you ask the engineer to show you EXACTLY the limit as defined in the MM.

If it helps we interpret total area as that over any dimensions.

A Service Letter has just appeared on the Robinson web site regarding this. I was talking to a UK maintenance outfit this morning who told me they are now getting several instances of -4 blade problems.
There is also one for the R44 blades as well.

Service Letter here http://www.robinsonheli.com/servelib.htm

The service letter allows 2 inches of disbond. But no mention of repair ideas.
I would consider using thin CA super glue (cyanoacrylate), as it can penetrate into the crack. It wicks in. Could prevent more disbond.
Better check with Robinson first.

The reason for the 1965 or later coin is that pre-1965 all U.S. quarters were made of silver. Post 1964 they were only silver-coated.
I suppose the "tap" would be different for the silver versus silver-coated coins.

Ive heard the R66 MR Blade will be of different design:D.........requiring only a tap test with only a $100 dollar note!.:ugh:

Almost correct bellytank. They will actually be the thickness of a $100 note and cost approximatley that each time they are tapped. The Gladwrap company will be looking on with interest at the possibility of scoring a sweet contract to supply...:E

R44 Delamination
 

It has been mentioned several times here that there is a tap test for the R44. I have checked on the Robinson website but can find nothing re the 44. Can anyone advise and point me in the right direction?
Thanks

Preflight section of the POH. "Tap your forehead with a 1965 US Quarter ( if you have one left after replacing the blades), if you get a hollow sound, go flying":ok:

R22 delam.
 

Thank God I have been absent for awhile as the debate has grown some in intellect - especially as the colloquial ozzie ‘brick’ – aka $100 note – once brought into service will remind the Burbank Boffins to beef up the 66 somewhat.

For Bellfest, most who fly rotary already ‘have’ a vacant space between the earlobes, so the use of the ‘brick’ as per your POH notes will be best for that hollow sound – that is if you have one left - err confusion – err Frank never gave us a quarter – I don’t think?
And, it has to go down in history as the first time we ever got an inch or two out of the ornery old bastard!!

The diagram on the Robinson letter reminds me of another oz outback icon, that of the – “Whistlecock” – if those flaps bend down whilst still in service – man we’re gonna sound like the last of the banshees.

Seriously, it’s good to see that Frank is not worried about the doubler adhesion so much, I’m kinda glad that ‘it’ lets go before ‘it’ sets up a serious bending moment at ‘that’ station.

r22 blade delamination
 

the aircraft was in a practice auto at about 200 feet when a severe vibration started. by the time they got on the ground with full power applied the rrpm was at 80 percent.
http://www.bluetonguehelicopters.com...une/cairns.jpg

WOW!!!:yuk:

It looks like there is no paint left on the blades. I know you feather it back as it erodes, but that is the most "feathering" I have ever seen. Looking at the end cap, it looks like the paint is 1/2 off the blade. :eek: I have never seen this much paint removed before...... Not sure if there is a connection?

Jeez . . whoever is maintaining/flying that needs their arse kicking.

Paint not allowed to go back farther than the lamination point! :ugh:

Is this sort of thing the cause of all these de-lamination stories?

Cant blame Frank for this one. .

"Paint not allowed to go back farther than the lamination point! ":ugh:

Is this a Robinson dictat?

Is that true for the 44 as well as the 22?

What is the remedy if it does? - new blades?

How 'bout the tail rotor, they start to lose paint pretty quickly on the leading edge/tip surface, how much is tolerable here?

Seems to me that flying in precip really accelerates paint loss (and therefore blade wear?) - in the UK this in inevitable - what kind of hours' usage are people getting before they need new blades? Is anyone getting the 2200 hrs? - I doubt it.

SB

i would hope that the paint isn't the crucial structural material preventing delamination on robbie blades...:}