Refuellers await their Apache .........

http://www.ferrari.it/cmc_upload/1/6.../GRB38_780.jpg

Wonderful - Apache sweeps in to its forward base, lands between two pairs of grunts, one leaps forward and spears it with the refuelling nozzle, the others clip more rockets on, and 6.8 seconds later it's on its way back to the front line.

Most of the time.

Occasionally, the refueller pulls out the probe, big splash because it's gone wrong, wumph! and a dozen others rush over with fire extinguishers. Location of forward base no longer a secret as there's a 200ft column of black smoke pointing to it. Or, 6.8 seconds are up, off goes the heli with a crew of three - yep, the refueller didn't manage to get the probe out. How much is Bernie Ecclestone paying them to take this?

Nice red suits though. Perhaps they could help out in Santas Grotto whilst waiting for an Apache to turn up. Lets face it they will be waiting an awfully long time.:{

Are the Army top brass still baffled by the lack of pilots?

In my day, when they had aspirations to take over RAF SH, they assumed that all the RAF Wessex, Chinook and Puma crews would rush to transfer to a brown uniform.

So what happened then chaps? :hmm:

Apache Crews come back from tough mission, greeted by pit crew:

http://s-92heliport.com/images/323_winners_marlin.jpg

Apache crew perform routine maintenance:
http://s-92heliport.com/images/354-woman.jpg

Shy Torque, they are still trying to take over the SH world only now via the Jolly Happy Club!:ugh:

There's another lesson for the UK Apaches to learn from F1:

Always ensure a ready supply of drivers by maintaining a stable system of training and development. Have you ever heard an F1 team say "Can't race - got no drivers!"

Put the homeless to work.
 

If the Navy And Air Force pilots don’t want to transfer what about the existing pool of Army pilots. If that doesn’t work do what the US Army does. Recruit the future pilots off the street, train them as basic helicopter pilots and stream them into the Apache flight programs. In any case make sure the pilots are capable of using the helmet mounted sight. The US Army trained a lot of Apache pilots only to find out they could not adapt to the helmet mounted sights.

:rolleyes:

JHC?

Join Hoon's Club?

Off you go chaps. If Mr Hoon says it's alright, then it must be alright.

Get those Khakis on. :E

http://www.angelfire.com/nf/jessf1/schucham.jpg
apache crew celebrates victory of bagdhad airday 2003

:)

Apache Tail rotor setup
 

ANYONE,

im curious as to the setup of the apache tail rotor, from limited photos ive seen it seems though they have a set inboard and another set on the outboard side of the shaft. how does the pitch control work for both blade setups, is it a similair sytem to the 500 4 bladed tail rotor they produced?

Im sure someone can enlighten me as ive always been curious and no one can seem to tell me.

chhers guys

I think Rich Lee told me they seperated the blades in order to produce a lower noise signature. Thats all I think I know.

Jim


Sorry Rich if you were not the source and it is wrong...

It's nothing to do with acoustics!
 

People often state that the Aphace's seperated twin teeter 4-bladed tail rotor was so designed for a reduction in acoustic signature.

WRONG.

It was staggered along the axis to allow room for the mechanical elements of the design. This was made very clear by Ray Prouty at a recent discussion at the Boeing factory in Az.

Hope this clarifies matters
CRAN
:}

Are these tail rotors of conventinal teetering design, or are they of the delta three type of teetering hinge?

I heard it was for survivability - separate the four blades into two pairs, one set gets hit, it's possible you'll end up with a working pair.

And I was also told that there's enough power with just two blades to give reasonable yaw control. However, any AH/WAH-64 pilots care to comment ?

Scissors tail rotor.
 

The scissors tail rotor design was created to minimize the acoustic signature. The design concept was proven on an OH-6 that was modified to the acoustic requirements of a DARPA contract. The design concept included mounting the OH-6 airframe on a waterbrake dynamometer in order to isolate the different generators of noise. In the end the helicopter included a five-blade rotor that turned at a lower speed, the scissors tail rotor, a muffler on the engine exhaust and every part of the airframe was insulated to minimize the broadcasting of noise. The rotor systems were eventually incorporated on later models of the H-500.

When this helicopter flew over at 500 feet all you could hear was a “whoosh”. I think it ended up in Vietnam.


:E :E

The modulated blade spacing (MBS) concept is also used on the latest generation of Eurocopter fenestron tail rotors. There are several papers on the mechanics of the concept available on-line, including one here

I/C

I was told ground transportation vertical clearance was a driving issue too. I was also told the lower noise signature was an unforseen bonus - fact or fiction?? Maybe someone from Mesa could comment?

Thanks guys you have enlightened me a bit, the noise signature makes sense but an interesting comment by NR Fairy about survivorbility which is a valid comment, interesting.

any apache drivers on this forum??

A picture is worth 995 words (inflation)
 

For a closer look try here.

http://www.b-domke.de/AviationImages...head/1077.html

To: Boathouse

If the Apache had a conventional four blade tail rotor vertical clearance would be compromized not for ground transportation but for transportation on the C-141. However the design was frozen prior to having air transport.

:E :E