Has anyone had an issue with dying magnetos on the Enstrom? I've had to replace the capacitors in mine about 8 times in four years. On one occasion I had a mag die in flight whilst 40 miles out to sea. :eek: No joke!

That is strange. First question would be where are you getting your magnetos overhauled. When your magneto is having it's four year O/H make sure that your capacitors are sent with the magneto so they can be tested at the same time. I'm saying four years because I doubt that you fly more than 500 hours in a four year period.

Claudia & FSX Pilot et all - just noticed your ref to trailing edge delamination on the MRB's - PM me, I know a (UK) company that can now help on this.

repair of disbonds (delaminations)
 

I certainly hope that the repair is not based on injection of fresh adhesive into the disbond. Adhesive bonds depend on formation of chemical bonds at the interface between the adhesive and the substrate. If a material has disbonded, then the surface is not chemically active and hence forcing new adhesive in will only fill the gap, not re-bond the component. Injection repairs are totally ineffective and I defy anyone to produce test data to show any restoration of strength.

Regards

Blakmax

Rest easy Blakmax, no it's not an injection repair & it's also approved by the OEM in case your worried. PM me if you wish.
R2

Rocket2,
PM sent

Blakmax

Hi there, new guy here. Finished my Commercial Heli add on recently in a R22. I bought a 280C a couple of weeks ago, only Enstrom i've ever flown (love it)... got a few questions. First question is on lift offs, my 280C has a correlater in it... I was shown by the previous owner to bring the engine rpms up to about 2200 then let the correlater do the rest on pick up, the problem is that the rpms are inconsistent, sometimes I over rev, sometimes I don't... So I tried bringing the rpms into the green at flat pitch and rolling off the throttle as I raise collective... either way I seem to feel like a bumbling fool as I lift off and the ship bobs around as I search for the green arc... How do you boys do it? Second question is about the trim... the fore and aft seems to feel normal, but the lateral seems to do nothing, nothing...then to much. I mean it works, its just different. Normal? Another issue is the pilots door seems to wanna pop open above 105 indicated... ideas? Anyone have an excel spreadsheet for tracking component times? Thanks Joe

Enstrom
 

Joe,

with regard to working with the RPM unfortunately you will have to master the art of flying un correlated. Yes I know you do have some correlation but it's not the best and almost not worth having. You have been spoilt in using the R22 governer. Back to basics for you with the Enstrom.

The trim issue is normal in the older 280's. You will master that as well but it can be trimmed out very nicely if you have a real soft touch.

Good luck with the old girl they are a very good machine and very safe.

Have a good 2012 of flying.

Where are you located?

Are the trim actuators the same as the Hughes 500 ?, not having had a close look at an Enstrom.
The variation in trim time on some 500s can be an eye opener is it the same on Enstroms

The door on mine always popped open about that speed, must be to warn you not to go too fast;)

Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin: Fuel Indication
 

The FAA has released a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerting owners and operators of Enstrom Helicopter Corporation-manufactured (Enstrom) 280 FX helicopters of a false fuel quantity indication with subsequent risk exposure to fuel exhaustion during flight. At this time, this airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Background
There has been a report of a helicopter accident that occurred after fuel exhaustion. Investigation revealed a false “Full” fuel quantity indication on the fuel indicator as contributory. This false reading was due to the fuel level sending unit wires being disconnected. A false fuel quantity indication of “Full” results when the fuel level sending unit wires are disconnected at the “wristlock” located between the tops of the left and right fuel tanks, with the master switch in the “On” position.

Recommendations
The FAA recommends that prior to each flight the visual check specified in the flight manual be performed to verify fuel quantity in the fuel tank. When the fuel tank is “Full” the fuel quantity indicator in the cockpit should read “Full.” If the fuel quantity in the tank is less than “Full” and the fuel quantity indicator reads “Full” then the fuel indicating system should be serviced per the maintenance manual to correct any noncompliance. Additionally, the FAA recommends a visual check of the “wristlock” during each Periodic Inspection to ensure the plastic covers over the “wristlock” connections are tie-wrapped in accordance with the maintenance manual.

References
Enstrom Maintenance Manual, page MM-3-7, Section 3-2 Periodic Inspection, Nature of Inspection B.2(d); pages MM-13-72, 73 and 74, Section 13-10 Fuel System, B(1)(c) and B(2)(c); and Enstrom Rotorcraft Flight Manual RFM 28-AC-020, pages 4.3 and 4.4, paragraphs 12 and 23.

For Further Information Contact
Ed Cuevas, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA Safety Management Group, ASW-112, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas, 76137; phone: 817-222-5355; e-mail: [email protected]

Frankly anyone who flies a piston Enstrom and trusts the fuel gauge is very stupid.

make that piston anything

Make that anything ...........

Considering that Enstrom makes a factory calibrated dip stick for their helicopters, it is really stupid. They are the only manufacturer that I know of that does that.

should be more of it!

In Papua New Guinea the maintenance department for the outfit I flew with had devised fuel tank dipsticks for all their aircraft.

They served as a useful verification of actual contents.

AD!!!!!
 

are all enstrom operators aware of FAA AD 2011-26-10 which states all enstrom f and fxs much have the cyclic trim modified within 5hrs TIS

A question that's always bugged me - why do some older UK machines have the designation "-UK" ? Similarly German machines "-D".

This goes back to the 70's when the CAA had some requirements that were different to the US and once the aircraft was modified to comply it had the -UK added to it's model type.