500E Posted February 14, 2011 Posted February 14, 2011 Courtesy of Vertical news dailyComposite blades for the 500 Van Horn Aviation has completed the initial detailed design drawings for development of an all-new composite main rotor blade for the MD 500 in accordance with an agreement signed between VHA and MD Helicopters in September. VHA will design, build, test and certify the composite rotor blades, which will fit MD 500D, E and F models. VHA personnel have already begun building prototype blades and will have the blades available for display at Heli-Expo 2011. As an asideWe are still having corrosion, paint, erosion strip problems with the very low hour alloy blades on the 500C.They are washed every flight as we live within 10 miles of the sea, the corrosion appears to be under the paint rather than on any eroded surface, the ceramic? coating on the inner leading edge was showing signs of wear after 70 hours, the first erosion strip started lifting at outer end at 82.5 hours, only one of the 4 has not lifted but that has corrosion about 2mm behind strip.As we are in the UK it is expensive & time consuming to return to US for the second time we are not impressed with quality of these products, & they have never flown in rain or dusty conditions!! Quote
Goldy Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 Courtesy of Vertical news dailyAs we are in the UK it is expensive & time consuming to return to US for the second time we are not impressed with quality of these products, & they have never flown in rain or dusty conditions!! I read this as well, made me wonder why the Robinson blades are only good for 2200 hours when the Enstrom blades last (almost) forever! If Van Horn comes up with a good composite construction process for their blades I would think they have a completely open market out there. Next the 500, maybe then the R44? or the 206? Blades for the B47 are about 100K a set....they could make a few of those as well. Think of how much they could charge for an R44 blade if it lasted, say, 10,000 hours! Quote
500E Posted February 16, 2011 Author Posted February 16, 2011 View Post500E, on 14 February 2011 - 15:28, said:Courtesy of Vertical news dailyAs we are in the UK it is expensive & time consuming to return to US for the second time we are not impressed with quality of these products, & they have never flown in rain or dusty conditions!! How did you do that Goldy. The winge was regarding our existing blades,not anything to do with VHA.Got pulled for posting an extract without crediting original, VR had legal beagles on phone, so thought Better make it clear the blades we are not happy with ARE nothing to do with VHA Quote
Goldy Posted February 17, 2011 Posted February 17, 2011 Oh geez, sorry about that. My post was actually quite complimentary to Van Horn. And I still say there is a huge market for their new style blades.... Quote
500E Posted February 17, 2011 Author Posted February 17, 2011 Oh geez, sorry about that. My post was actually quite complimentary to Van Horn. And I still say there is a huge market for their new style blades.... No problem Goldy It was the V news daily bit over my winge that threw me.Don't want my hands slapped or VR to get flack.Emailed VHorn they say hope to fly in 60 days & have cert by end of year, Tend to agree with you regarding sales as long as price is fair, they did not suggest ball park figure or if life is on condition like some composite blades. Quote
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