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-   -   Dunkeswell 80 (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/654050-dunkeswell-80-a.html)

NutLoose 8th Aug 2023 14:21

Ahh.. the mighty Whirlwind.. ;)

https://live.staticflickr.com/4197/3...52c999f8_c.jpg

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[email protected] 8th Aug 2023 14:42


Originally Posted by Bengo (Post 11481078)
IIRC from Mk2 days, you have to have 24v on the third pin of the DC external power connector in order to get the socket to accept external power. It works the other way round too, so where you could run a drum fuel pump just by plugging it into a Wx, because the external pins are always live, you needed a battery to energise the third pin to get the SK to provide the power.

N

Unfortunately the problem was more complex than that, our red box was producing 26.1V but a diode or relay in the aircraft circuit was not seeing that and allowing the power through - we have had problems diagnosing why the EXT PWR caption on the CWP stays on even after the plug is out and some of the rectification work seems to have caused this new issue. Anyone have any ideas?

The only way was to disconnect the aircraft battery and hot wire the aircraft connecter to a separate battery to get the engine turning over fast enough - it worked but I don't think it's in the Topic 5 anywhere.

NutLoose 8th Aug 2023 14:48

Is there a Solenoid to the external power socket that is sticking closed? just a thought as that may also when closed light the external power caption.

Hughes500 8th Aug 2023 14:50

Most obvious thing is a diode has gone down

[email protected] 8th Aug 2023 14:51


Originally Posted by NutLoose (Post 11481283)
Is there a Solenoid to the external power socket that is sticking closed?

The Greenies were muttering a lot about diodes - I'm just a driver, airframes - so well outside my comfort zone:)

Winnie 8th Aug 2023 21:18

How big of a bribe will be required to attempt to drive a cab? I grew up in Sea Kings, but never got to fly one, but with around 7000 hours I am more than capable... Would be fun to hav a go once! My dad did 4975 hours in the cabin as a winch op/Sytems operator in the RNoAF.

ShyTorque 8th Aug 2023 22:34

Looking back to my early learning days at RAF Shawbury, when the Whirly was the basic training aircraft and the Wessex was the advanced trainer, they were really quite big for that role, weren’t they? But really quite forgiving, I suppose.

(After just two short trips in a Robbo 22, some ten years later, I really wasn’t happy flying such a small, flimsy thing and never have done since).

helispotter 8th Aug 2023 23:33

Plenty of Wessex on display in museums around the world, but seeing these lovely pix made me wonder if this might be the only remaining flying example? Checking Wessex entry on Wikipedia, it seems that might well be the case as it is the only one that is listed as airworthy: "XT761 – HU.5 airworthy with Historic Helicopters in Chard, Somerset."

[email protected] 9th Aug 2023 07:46

Yes it is the only one flying - people rightly ooohh and aaahh at the Spitfire but, wonderful and iconic as it is, there are quite a few out there flying.:ok:

[email protected] 9th Aug 2023 07:48

Shy, don't forget they were there for crewman training as well so you needed a decent sized helicopter for that:ok:

With you 100% on the Robbie though.

Myra Leese 9th Aug 2023 10:33

Crab,

Reaching into the dark recesses of my mind, sounds like an issue with J540 plug, down by the co-pilots left boot if I remember. It was prone to water ingress or a clumsy boot and was the relay which allowed the power set to connect I think. It's been a while so I could be completely wrong.

[email protected] 9th Aug 2023 12:52

Myra, I know what you mean but if the J540 plug is knackered you get a whole lot more faults than just the EXT PWR issue - I think the boys will just swap diodes around until it goes away:ok:

Dave B 9th Aug 2023 14:37

Seeing those float bags on the wheels takes me back to an incident in Port Harcourt Nigeria, in the seventies. The bags were off for inspection and repacking, when one of our engineers was checking the electric's, he connected a test lamp to the left hand connection after removing the plug, he then armed the float switch, forgetting that the Two sides are cross connected, so that one switch will fire both floats.
I was sitting at my desk, when there was an almighty bang, and a portable compressor came flying through the office window, it landed on my Nigerian clerks desk, luckily he was out having a smoke.
One of our other engineers was walking across the hanger with the right hand float bag in his hands, about to fit it, luckily he had not got too far, or he would have got a bag straight on his chest.
There was a lot of luck that day, and it goes to show the force of these things.

NutLoose 9th Aug 2023 14:52

Talking about Gnomes reminds me of an incident at Odiham's engine bay, they used to replace lots of spools as with errosion as the blades used to get really thin, so on a rebuild they would change the spool. The chief used to tap over really thin damaged blades on spools being sent off, one of the guys had a complete new spool come in and not having seen one before as most were rebuilt, went to show his chief who on hearing "look at this" turned round and gave it a wack... needless to say it had to quietly be returned as damaged..

I can also remember the shaft on one Wessex from the combining box up to the main rotor box having to be changed, when removed, a bag containing new nuts, bolts and paperwork that had obviously been shipped with the shaft fell out of the end, It had obviously not been noticed on assembly tucked inside and new nuts / bolts had been used to fit it.


ShyTorque 9th Aug 2023 22:07


Originally Posted by [email protected] (Post 11481648)
Shy, don't forget they were there for crewman training as well so you needed a decent sized helicopter for that:ok:

With you 100% on the Robbie though.

During the time I went through the RW course we flew with staff crewmen only.

[email protected] 10th Aug 2023 06:19


During the time I went through the RW course we flew with staff crewmen only.
I forgot you are a little older than me.

I went through 2 Sqn in 1983 and our course was half pilots and half loadies - it has stayed that way ever since. You probably would have seen that when you did your QHI course.

The other advantage of using a Wessex was that several front-line Sqns had them so a long OCU post wings wasn't required.


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