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MD500e Restoration Project


HeloJunkie

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Hey Everyone -

 

Took some time today and made a much needed major update to my blog covering the start-to-finish restoration project on my 500e. Check it out and let me know what you think! We are making major progress!

 

Many Thanks

 

MD500e Restoration Project

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Maybe a lot more than expected since Pheonix Heliparts had their 145 certificate revoked today.

 

Just on the news here in Phx tonight... The FAA has pulled the repair license for Phoenix Heliparts Inc for several major issues...

 

here's a link...

http://www.businessw...s/D9I4LH780.htm

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Richard, I have to say they work being done looks fantastic and very thorough. Talk about a zero zero time ship!

 

The post about the FAA action is bothersome, especially since you speak so highly of them.

 

Goldy

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The President of Phx HeliParts was on the news saying they would still be doing business and intend to fight the FAA's claims...

 

However it's got to be a serious issue if the FAA revoked their license.. The FAA had the U.S. Department of Agriculture submit a 369 helicopter to them for repairs and then took that aircraft and had it completely reinspected, which resulted in them finding more than 30 discrepancies, which hadn't been fixed... Also on a followup facility inspection the FAA inspectors found hundreds of other discrepancies, including unserviceable parts labeled as serviceable and kept for reuse and failures to document maintenance work and inspections.

 

 

 

Guess he won't be doing business with them again. I wonder how many timed out or non-serviceable items they already installed on his 500? :P

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You guys crack me up sometimes :-)

 

remember...this is the exact same FAA that went after Bob Hoover....

 

I would not be so quick to jump to conclusions based on some "emergency action" by the FAA over two years after a discrepancy and before current management took over the company!

 

I have been over to PHI on a multitude of occasions and inspected the work done on my ship so far and I have been beyond impressed. All parts that have been installed on my ship were bought brand new, nothing "servicable" from another ship was installed and all the paperwork was in order last time I inspected the ship.

 

I will keep everyone up to date as I learn more, but until I have my own reasons to move from PHI, I will stand beside them and the mechanics there will continue to do the work on my ship.

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Richard, I have to say they work being done looks fantastic and very thorough. Talk about a zero zero time ship!

 

The post about the FAA action is bothersome, especially since you speak so highly of them.

 

Goldy

 

Yea, but remember - there are always two sides to every story. The incident they are talking about is over two years old now. If it was that bad, why wait over two years to do an "emergency" revocation? I know Tina and Daren and the folks that work out there. I don't buy it - not since they took over....

 

I guess time will tell. What I can tell you is that they are doing a fantastic job on my ship so far and you have all seen the pictures. Every part has been brand new.

 

I am just not going to jump to any conclusions until I see how it plays itself out. I would be willing to bet PHI is still around when the dust settles.

 

I will keep my ear to the ground and let you guys know what I hear and if I was wrong!!

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Hi Richard

Glad to see all going well, the latest news regarding PHI is off putting, but as you are hands on so to speak it could be worse, not as if you have not had previous experience.

The work done sure looks the dogs B.

Regarding thicker skins? what is the thought process behind this, remembering the structure is designed to crumple & beefing up sections could put the stresses into an area that will crack or may be fail, (reading wsm do not fly with floor bulkhead panels removed) are these MD later build mods?

The work looks to a real high standard with the attention to detail at a high level.

Don't forget Blade balance Both root and tip it makes the difference to smooth & real SMmooooooh within 6 Grams root & max 2 grams tip believe me we have had blades 200+ grams 1/2 pound overall weight variation between lightest & heaviest blade, Boeing & HTC blades do not weigh in the same, makes for smother run up\down as well,+less of those stress cracks we hope.

Am awaiting pics of consul do you have any roughs yet?

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You guys crack me up sometimes :-)

 

remember...this is the exact same FAA that went after Bob Hoover....

 

Considering that the FAA used an experimental test to revoke Bob's medical just shows what levels the FAA will lower itself to to make its case work.

 

 

I would not be so quick to jump to conclusions based on some "emergency action" by the FAA over two years after a discrepancy and before current management took over the company!

 

Having been involved with other operators that have had issues with the FAA and have seen what the FAA will do to win, this case already smells. I have seen cases where the FA inspectors have lied to the FAA attorneys, to the US Attorney's Office and have manufactured evidence. In one case it was so bad that Washington came in and cleaned house. It used to be that the FAA maintenance inspectors were pretty good. They usually had a lot of real time maintenance experience and understood the real world of maintenance. Now, most of the maintenance inspectors seem to be guys that couldn't hack it was a maintenance tech for someone and went with the FAA. They nitpick the paperwork but don't really compare it with the actual machine.

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"Richard, I have to say they work being done looks fantastic and very thorough. Talk about a zero zero time ship!"

 

Richard- I rest my case! So far it looks fantastic, can't wait to fly down and see it in a few months. Hopefully though, the paperwork of one case doesnt interfere with your completion. Time will tell. I know how strongly you stand behind their work.

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Hi Richard

Glad to see all going well, the latest news regarding PHI is off putting, but as you are hands on so to speak it could be worse, not as if you have not had previous experience.

The work done sure looks the dogs B.

Regarding thicker skins? what is the thought process behind this, remembering the structure is designed to crumple & beefing up sections could put the stresses into an area that will crack or may be fail, (reading wsm do not fly with floor bulkhead panels removed) are these MD later build mods?

The work looks to a real high standard with the attention to detail at a high level.

Don't forget Blade balance Both root and tip it makes the difference to smooth & real SMmooooooh within 6 Grams root & max 2 grams tip believe me we have had blades 200+ grams 1/2 pound overall weight variation between lightest & heaviest blade, Boeing & HTC blades do not weigh in the same, makes for smother run up\down as well,+less of those stress cracks we hope.

Am awaiting pics of consul do you have any roughs yet?

 

Hey 500e -

 

The thicker skins are now standard (or so I was told) on the newer ships and has to do with providing a little extra strength to the ship itself and to stop some of the more common stress crack areas. We are not talking about too much extra thickness, just enough to beef up the ship a little bit!

 

The new HTC blades are going to get reworked as you suggested. PHI suggested the blending as well!!

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Considering that the FAA used an experimental test to revoke Bob's medical just shows what levels the FAA will lower itself to to make its case work.

 

 

 

 

Having been involved with other operators that have had issues with the FAA and have seen what the FAA will do to win, this case already smells. I have seen cases where the FA inspectors have lied to the FAA attorneys, to the US Attorney's Office and have manufactured evidence. In one case it was so bad that Washington came in and cleaned house. It used to be that the FAA maintenance inspectors were pretty good. They usually had a lot of real time maintenance experience and understood the real world of maintenance. Now, most of the maintenance inspectors seem to be guys that couldn't hack it was a maintenance tech for someone and went with the FAA. They nitpick the paperwork but don't really compare it with the actual machine.

 

 

Rick1128 -

 

I think time will tell on this one...it will be interesting to see what happens. My understanding is that the inspector has already been reassigned but I don't know for sure.

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"Richard, I have to say they work being done looks fantastic and very thorough. Talk about a zero zero time ship!"

 

Richard- I rest my case! So far it looks fantastic, can't wait to fly down and see it in a few months. Hopefully though, the paperwork of one case doesnt interfere with your completion. Time will tell. I know how strongly you stand behind their work.

 

Goldy -

 

Thanks!! Yea, work is progressing as we speak, so this issue with the FAA did not effect PHI's ability to continue working on my ship. They really are a first class operation. Every time I visit my 500 I am impressed with their facilities and level of workmanship. Tina and Darin along with the rest of their crew are top notch folks.

 

Just Saturday night I was AOG with a dead battery at DVT in my R44. Not many people would even answer their phone (even the so called emergency line at Universal Helicopters went unanswered) and the people that did answer their line couldn't help me. I dropped Tina and Daren an email and within 10 minutes they were on the phone with me locating a battery and arranging for it to be delivered to DVT the next morning (Sunday). By 11am I was back in the air.

 

This is the second time PHI has come to my aid on a Sunday with an AOG helicopter! They are just good people and I will continue to recommend them and their work regardless of the FAA's two+ year old issue with them.

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As a followup to the issue with Phoenix Heliparts and the FAA, PHI issued this press release earlier today:

 

 

Phoenix Heliparts Appeals Revocation of Part 145 Repair Station Certificate

Business as usual as individual employees' mechanic certificates cover MRO operations at Mesa facilities.

 

Mesa, AZ, September 10, 2010 – In response to the unexpected revocation of its repair station certificate by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Phoenix Heliparts' began the formal appeal of the agency's actions to the National Transportation Safety Board. As the appeal process unfolds, Phoenix will continue operations under its employees' individual part 65 mechanic certificates.

 

Phoenix Heliparts president, Tina Cannon, said, "Phoenix has made aggressive moves starting two years ago to improve compliance with critical facets of its repair station certificate; it installed new senior management, rewrote the company's quality manual, and voluntarily refrained from further maintenance under the repair station certificate while undertaking these changes. As a result, following our move to a completely new and expanded facility, FAA inspectors performed an audit of the manuals and facility and reissued the repair station certificate on June 21st of this year. Consequently, this revocation action comes as a complete surprise.

 

"The company is particularly gratified by the continued support of its worldwide customer base. The aviation industry understands that accusations by the government are easy to make and extremely hard and time consuming to defend.

 

"To imply our work is unsafe, as the FAA has done, is both wrong and harmful to our employees and customers alike,'' Cannon added. "Regardless of the FAA's actions and accusations, the company has instituted a very solid quality system and is using that system to ensure that its individually certificated mechanics can prove that every step is taken in accordance with the regulations."

 

The company's worldwide customers can rest assured the company will present a vigorous defense, and in the meantime, the quality workmanship it has provided in the past will continue today, tomorrow and in the future.

 

Media Contact

Jamie McIntyre

1-514-780-8525

jamie@romeooscar.com

 

 

 

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Hi Richard

Good to see that you are confident with the work done & on going, perhaps the Quote can be posted on another site where there is comment ??

 

Hi 500!!

 

I got it right off the PHI website..I think they allow comments, not sure!

 

 

http://www.phoenixheliparts.com

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Fellow Pilots -

 

I made another update on my website about the repairs on my 500 (yes, they continue just as promised without even a single day's delay).

 

In any event, this should be an interesting read. The FAA contends that PHI does shoddy work (basically). I invite everyone to read my latest post and take a look at the quality of the one repair I talk about in this post and come to you own conclusions. This is the type of repair work I have seen from them at every stage of the game!

 

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

 

MD500 Restoration Website

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Great as usual! Will they relocate the duct to not rub on the now thicker beam? Looks like they do a very detailed job. Keep the post coming on the journey.

 

Hi Copter Doctor -

 

Not sure actually...great question. It took since 1986 and 6000 hours to get to that point so I am not sure if they put something there to keep it from happening again or maybe modify the ducting. I know they cannot move the duct itself since its designed to be there...

 

I will check into that and see what they say!!

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