MD 600 for loadlifting
 

Anyone out there used one for longlining ? Seen Fuchs website in Switzerland that were using one to build a mast. Advice appreciated as need something with more lift than a 500, really up to about 900kgs - before everyone says i dont want a 350
Cheers

Just curious.Why don't you want a Squirrel?.

Cheers.

SYH.

Because...
 

I believe that the noise is an argument.
Confined area flyers don't recognised that, but where peoples are living (like in my heavy urbanised Switzerland), is effectively noise a BIG concern.:=

Some times ahead I was adressing an enquire to MD because I was wondering that an helicopter having the same engine like the 407, may lift about the half of it.:ugh:

WHY??

The handling also is not good to perform external load, also we can say that this ship is finally only good for governmental / police duty, and that's it!:{

and.........
 

the ship wasn't used in my country but in Spain (however the ship is really form Fuchs!).:hmm:

I'm trying to be in touch with the manufacturer to look if they could be interessed in somebody flying the 900 for logging.

I'm crazy enough to try this:8!

Sling, prefer to lok out of the door and see the load, almost impossible from the right seat in a squirrel, the 500 is way quicker doing vertical ref than a squirrel plus running expenses of squirrels are rather high!
Heliseo I doubt that a 407 will lift 1800kgs on a hook ( twice that of a 600)

...sorry
 

but I can't believe that the 600 may lift 900 kg off!!!!:hmm:

The AS 350 fit PERFECTLY the aerial work vertical reference!:ok:

I do it usually, however with both door removed (logically) and a line lenght of 40 m!

902 Explorer
 

Have any of you guys used the Explorer for external load lifting?

Any good? :rolleyes:

If noise is the issue get a EC130 then. You also can not get closer to the window and the collective is on your left so you lean over it. There is also a Canadian STC for a bubble window on the pilot window if I remember correctly. Don't let the fenestron scare you-once you are used to it and understand it it is more than sufficient.

Heliso

I can lift 600kgs with a 500 let alone the extra power of a 600. Squirrel is twice the price to buy and twice as expensive to run Just been quoted 390k in Euros to overhaul a B2 engine:ouch:

what about a 530f?

:eek:

Not Stateside it's not. In recent years the E's pricetag has risen to within spitting distance of a B2, with the F now only 10% cheaper than a B3.

I/C

500,

What's the ratio of MD vs EC in Europe used for longline? Think it should be a pointer to what operators has as preferred machinery.(overall)
How about the trouble of getting spare's a while ago for the whole fleet? I know EC, don't have the Bell support either, but in general the 350 series usually only need a bit of Jet-A to be running for a long time:ok:(in my experience, at least)

Nubian, can't agree more! With Jet A1, a bit of grease 8 for the hyd pump and droop ring and a split pin or 2 a 350 will run a ver.........................y long time-so will the 130! Quoting a engine price is valid, but I have been operating with a fleet of 350's, 130's and 120's and unless we stuff it up those parts on Turbomeca's side and especially EC have a long life and unbeatable reliability so I guess one can expect it to cost a bit of money. The scheduled maintenance if done in accordance with the manufacturer Maintenance Program is a breeze due to the margins allowed and a machine should never be grounded unless prefered for these? I stand by these machines despite the French telling you if you do have a problem "it's impossible".:D:D

i used work for an outfit that used to fly 500 D's and the 530 doing production external load work. never flew the 600, although we had one at the time and after i left, the 600 shed its tailboom killing the pilot. while i was there, we did have problems on both the 500 and 530 with m/r blades cracking and before my sentence began with the same company, they had a blade part company with the machine injuring the pilot pretty badly. he was lucky at that. one might think that the a/c were abused but that was not the case.
most of my work now (the same type of work, mind you) is done the the as350 and to a lesser extent the 407. if you ask me, the 350 is by far superior to the other types mentioned. it is powerful, comfortable, has a good heat/demisting system, just as quick as the others with a line on, and very robust.
i have no experience with a fenestron, but i can tell you that the 350 tail rotor authority is easily sufficient.
like VP, i too have a lot of faith in the 350 series.
fp

600 Kgs in a 500 on a longline???, just keep pulling and make it do 900 Kg, problem solved

fad

if only !

To see better Longlining in an Astar.....just cut a hole in the floor and look straight down. Takes a bit to get the hang of...but better then trying to see out the door.....unless your really really tall!

Neckhurts

Cut a hole in the floor, man you want to be in Europe, I cant imagine the grief you would come to in EASA land doing that !!!!!!!!!!

hughes 500, the hole in the floor and bottom panel is actually a EASA approoved optional service bulletin on the 350's. The floor and the panel gets a perspex panel instead and as long as your cleaners does not scratch them to death you see your load literally via the floor. We have quite a few with the sb

I think there are 3 companies making legal instalation "hole in the floor" Vertial Reference Kits...well, legal in Canada anyway. There must be a few hundred Astars in Canada....and pretty much every single one of them has the hole in the floor.....

http://www.chinookaviation.com/window.htm
http://www.dartaero.com/ec350.shtml