Rotor Torque

The FAA’s investigation concluded that the design and certification met all of the applicable requirements, and that no discrepancies were found in the manufacture and quality control assurance of the subject aircraft. Satisfied with its findings the FAA considers the review complete and has no plans for further action.

Included in the SCR the FAA had a US Navy metallurgical laboratory conduct an independent examination of parts of the crashed helicopter, including the cyclic control stick assembly. The Navy found that the stick failed due to overstress because of the accident, there being no evidence of progressive failure such as fatigue or stress failure which could have directly caused the accident.

As a precaution, immediately after the accident Robinson redesigned the cyclic stick assembly to increase its strength and safety margins, but both the old and the new sticks were cleared in the SCR.

Just as it was announced that the R44 cleared the certification review, the NTSB called on the FAA to issue an airworthiness directive restricting operations of the smaller two seat R22. The NTSB says that there have been 21 instances of the R22 breaking up in flight while in cruise. The NTSB has called on the FAA, plus NASA and Robinson, to re-examine the R22’s main rotor and control system, saying that it may have flight characteristics not tested under FAR Part 27 Standards. The NTSB recommends that the R22 be restricted to a lower cruising speed until its concerns about a possible design deficiency which affects the stability of the main rotor blades is addressed.

Once again Frank Robinson, founder and president of Robinson Helicopter Company, has refuted the NTSB’s claims. Robinson said that 19, and not 21, R22s failed while in typical cruising flight, and that the R22 is not unique in suffering accidents where there has been blade to airframe contact. Robinson also says that reducing the R22’s cruising speed would not reduce the accident rate as the previous accidents resulted from low RPM rotor stall, which can occur at any speed.

One of several single seat ultralight helicopters to make an appearance at this year’s EAA Oshkosh convention was the American Sportscopter Ultrasport 331. The kit built Ultrasport 331 is powered by a two stroke Hirth 2703 two stroke piston engine that produces 65hp (49kW). VNE is 90kt (167kmh), while range is approximately 130nm (240km) at 55kt (102kmh). American Sportscopter also offers the fully assembled Ultrasport 254, which the company claims can be flown without a pilots licence in the USA. (Dave Prossor)

High New Zealand Accident Rate Scares Off Foreign Insurers

The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority has warned that foreign aircraft insurers are becoming increasingly reluctant to insure NZ based helicopters because of an accident rate that is four times that of the United States. Last year alone helicopter accidents cost insurers $NZ35m, with 10% of NZ’s helicopter population suffering in some way. The human costs of these accidents is also high, with 11 deaths due to helicopter accidents during 1993. The NZ CAA says that too many pilots are flying themselves into situations that they cannot adequately handle.

Some British insurers are reportedly close to refusing to insure New Zealand helicopters, while others have doubled their premiums in response to the high accident rate. To address the problem the NZ CAA hopes to introduce a new helicopter pilot safety programme in the next few months.

Hiller Purchases Hiller

Stanley Hiller, together with Thai investors, has bought back the company that he started and bears his name from previous owner Rogerson Aircraft. The purchase was concluded in mid July, with the company now being known as Hiller Aircraft. Operations will concentrate on the UH-12E Hauler and new Hauler developments with 30 UH-12Es, the first two years of production, to be built for Thai investors in the new company.

Hiller is also relocating its manufacturing plant from Port Angeles in Washington to Newark, California, with the first UH-12E to be rolled out of the new plant in October. Hillers had been built in Port Angeles since 1985, while around 500 UH-12Es remain in service worldwide.

Usn Tests Mh-33E Sea Dragon Upgrade

The US Navy is now flight testing an upgraded version of its MH-53E Sea Dragon mine countermeasures helicopter fitted with advanced avionics and systems to improve navigation, communications and crew situational awareness. The new improvements were developed under a $US30m contract awarded to EER Systems in September 1991. Primary features of the upgrade include the two mission computers, two multifunction displays, two control display units, a Rockwell Collins GPS and a Teledyne Doppler velocity sensor.

An improved MH-53E with the modifications began test flying with the US Navy in June, with the developmental testing phase due to run through to the end of September, after which a month long operational testing phase begins. The US Navy currently plans to upgrade a total of 45 MH-53Es, 33 for active squadrons and 12 for reserve units, although funding cuts may reduce this number. The value of the production modification work and the in service date of modified aircraft are unknown.

The US Navy has also initiated a competition for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) of the Airborne Laser Mine Detection system (ALMDS) for the MH-53E. ALMDS uses laser beams to penetrate the water to search for mines, giving the USN the ability to detect, identify and classify moored and near surface floating mines. ALMDS is based on work performed by Kaman under the project banner Magic Lantern, which was successfully deployed operationally during Operation Desert Storm. Kaman had hoped to be awarded the contract but the US Navy decided to put it to tender as competitive bids would reduce programme costs. The EMD phase is scheduled to last four years.

Type Authorisation For Md Explorer

The McDonnell Douglas Explorer remains on track for full FAA certification this December following the recent issuance of Type Inspection Authorisation. The Inspection Authorisation is significant as it indicates that the FAA is satisfied with the Explorer’s engineering design, and that it meets FAA requirements. It also allows FAA pilots and flight test engineers to begin their review of the handling characteristics, performance and systems operation of the aircraft.

The remainder of the Explorer flight test programme will consist of function and reliability tests, acoustics testing in October (preliminary testing indicates that the Explorer is at least as quiet as the MD 520N) and a review of aircraft options in November. Petroleum Helicopters in the USA is expected to take delivery of the first Explorers immediately after certification in early December.

Marines Test Ch-53E Super Stallions Upgrade

The United States Marine Corps has begun operational testing of two Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallions fitted with EER Systems night vision and GPS navigation kits. The CH-53E upgrade comprises a Hughes AN/ALQ-16B forward looking infrared mounted in a pod on the forward lower side, Rockwell Collins GPS-3A GPS receiver and Teledyne Ryan AN/APN-217 Doppler velocity sensor. The upgrade package is designed to improve aircraft navigation and pilot situational awareness in conditions of poor visibility and at night.

EER (who is also responsible for the MH-53 upgrade for the USN mentioned above) upgraded the first two CH-53Es under a $US3.2m engineering and development project contract, while the company hopes to be awarded the $US3m contract to upgrade a further 24 CH-53Es with the new equipment. Eventually EER hopes to be contracted to upgrade all of the USMC’s 155 CH-53Es. EER is also looking at installing a similar package aboard the USMC’s Boeing CH-46 fleet.

Briefs

• Schweizer is to offer insurance to operators of new and used Schweizer 300 and Hughes 269 series helicopters to combat significant hikes in helicopter insurance premiums in the last 12 months. Excessively high insurance is now becoming a barrier to purchasing and operating helicopters; through offering affordable insurance Schweizer hopes to boost sales.
• The Victorian State Government is investigating the future of the Gippsland based Helimed One air ambulance service. Three options are under study: retaining Helimed One, operating a smaller VFR helicopter from Gippsland with night backup provided by more sophisticated IFR helos from Melbourne, or to simply provide a service via a Melbourne based operator to Gippsland.
• A new heliport has opened at the Hurstbridge Fire Station in Melbourne. The need for a heliport in the region was heightened when an accident call forced the attending rescue helo to land in a gravel car park.
• The Cairns Base Hospital’s Director of Emergency Medicine has called on the Queensland State Government to provide a new and more capable emergency helicopter at Cairns. At present Queensland Emergency Services operates a Squirrel from Cairns, which can only operate in VFR conditions.
• ACT Government Liberal opposition MLA Gary Humphries has asked if NRMA Careflight would be prepared to base a Dauphin medical rescue helicopter in Canberra for use in the ACT and surrounding southern NSW. Mr Humphries proposes that the $600 to $800,000 annual operating costs be covered by subscriptions, donations, and contributions from the NSW Government and Careflight, with only minimal support from the ACT Government, since most operations would be outside the ACT. ACT fire and ambulance authorities however reportedly have a rescue helicopter low on their list of priorities.