MT Rotor Blades

[OzGyro]

Hi All

Please find attached MPD which makes for interesting reading.

Cheers
Darren

[FO Gyro]

Received email today with the following 2 interesting attachments from Theuns, our MT agent.

In a nutshell, through a theoretical fatigue study only, and not based on actual results, the UK CAA have imposed a TBO of 700 hrs on the 1st generation rotor blades. Owners wanting to replace their blades at 700hrs can do so for 1550 Euros, and will get an improved rotor with a 8000 hr TBO.

Theuns also mentioned that after every MT rotor was inspected in SA, not a single fatigue crack was found, and some MT's in SA have accumulated 1000 hrs already. A few MT's were found overseas that had been found to have exceeded the envelope by unloading the rotor, allowing the rotor RPM to decay, and then pulling hard on the stick, resulting in excess bending of the rotors. After a study of the rotors in question, the damage that was found was not a fatigue crack, but a perforation caused by excessive bending of the blades when in an unloaded state. This was confirmed after an in depth study by metallurgists and the results have been published previously.

Moral of the story is to fly within the envelope, and keep lots of space between you and the ground. Too many guys don't realise how hard the ground is when you hit it, yet they fly so close to it as though nothing will happen if you hit it by mistake.

[FLYNOTE]

Question why is it that whenever there is a problem with a make of gyro be it any make we fly , it is always one of us and not the agent placing an explaination on this forum? I would really love the agents of the different makes of gyros talk to us if a mast bracket cracks on the product he represents or the fuel tank forming part of the pilot seat seems to be a problem or a rotor cracks or ... Or ... Or ... Now I have caused the little three letter k word to fly around like hell. But I was just wondering why pilots of the gyros they fly always talk on behalf of the agent. Glennie, no offence please. I am refering to all of us who fly what ever make. I would like to hear the agents speak up on their products and not have the end users say that the agents say..
Just feel like stirring a bit.

[OzGyro]

Hi All

Ok I am going to preface this first with the statement that I have am having the time of my life flying gyros in this fantastic country, and dont believe there is anywhere else in the world I could have the freedom and be having the experiences I am right now.

However something that has always bugged me is the lack of transparency when it comes to some of the agents in this country. I am not saying that Microlighters is the necassarily the correct medium but surely the SAGPA webste should be being utlised to keep all Gyro pilots up to date when it comes to any issues in regard to safety or any other matters GYRO from the importing agents. There is probably not an aircraft of any form in production today that had not had some form of AD or MPD at some time of its life. The reason for the directives is to increase awareness of potential problems, the situations that may cause the problems and how best to negate or rectify issues should they arise. This is not about who's machine is better than another, I for one am very willing to learn from the experiences and even the mistakes of others. I sure as hell dont want to learn all lifes lessons the hard way.

Glen I fully respect you abilty as a pilot and could only hope to one day be as good as you, however your underscored quote theoretical fatigue study only intrigues me a little. I for one am very happy for some things to be based on a theoretical study because I dont want either myself or one of my closest buddies to be that one person who finds out the hard way.

Shared information is good information and wether I use that information today or somewhere in my distant future I will be forever grateful for it.

Safe flying to all.

Cheers
Darren

[FO Gyro]

Maybe the metallurgists out there can help, but how accurate are these theoretical calculated life spans of rotor blades compared to the real world operating environment?