New vs Highly Used R-22

[Whirlwind]

I recently got the opportunity to fly a Robinson R-22 with only a few hundred hours on it. I was astounded by the difference in feel and performance versus the other highly used R-22 training copters that I had been flying. The control was crisp, the autos were a dream, the flight was so much smoother... (I'm getting excited just re-living it!!!)

 

Training really does take it's toll on these helicopters.

[darwin]

This is very interesting.

Do you have any theories about what the actual mechanical difference was? Perhaps backlash in control linkage joints or pivot points?

 

Do you think it is something about the Robinson that causes it to wear in this manor, or would other helis of similar time have the same problem when used as a training helicopter?

 

I would be very interested to see exactly what the wear points are that cause the higher [student] time machine to be mushy.

 

-Darwin

Edited March 6, 2007 by darwin

[Superman]

My experience has been just the opposite. I regularly fly an old (86) Beta, 1100 hrs on the factory overhaul, ~3100 hrs total time. It is a very smooth flying helicopter, and used as a trainer sense its rehab. Did my commercial training in a very old HP, factory overhauled, wrecked, rebuilt, and still a good flying machine at ~5000 hrs. At the factory safety course this past summer I flew a new Beta II and didn't think it flew as nice as the older ones. I'm sure that the mechanic / maintenance program has a lot to do with how the machine fly's.

Although, I still think that the smoothest helicopter I've ever flown was a fairly new 300CB.

 

Fly Safe

Clark

[Goldy]

This is very interesting.

Do you have any theories about what the actual mechanical difference was? Perhaps backlash in control linkage joints or pivot points?

 

Do you think it is something about the Robinson that causes it to wear in this manor, or would other helis of similar time have the same problem when used as a training helicopter?

 

I would be very interested to see exactly what the wear points are that cause the higher [student] time machine to be mushy.

 

-Darwin

 

Blade tracking is a big one, over time the engine does sag somewhat and needs to be shimmed back to proper alignment...if either of these things are off...it can make a huge difference. I have flown 19 different R22's....and they each tend to have their own sweet spots at different airspeeds.

 

It is strange though, we have one ship with 100 hours since overhaul...shakes like a tree...and the other one has 1000 hours on it now, smooth as can be..I dont think thats the way its supposed to be though !

 

As far as auto's..all the new blades have the same weight added internally in the tips...so each ship with the latest blades should auto about the same...as far as power...big difference with the R22 BII.

 

Dont forget that each blade is matched as closely as posssible to another blade...at which point they become a pair..but due to manufacturing processes....some pairs are better matched than others.

Edited March 7, 2007 by Goldy

[Whirlwind]

Blade tracking is a big one, over time the engine does sag somewhat and needs to be shimmed back to proper alignment...if either of these things are off...it can make a huge difference. I have flown 19 different R22's....and they each tend to have their own sweet spots at different airspeeds.

We've got one in the shop for major upgrades and service. It had a lot of motion in the cyclic, especially when flying slowly. I've been told that it will fly just as sweetly as the newer ship once it returns. We shall see....

One of the most noticeable things about the newer ship is that the rotor RPM takes a long time to build up when entering autos.