500E Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 Frank is now using ICI Imron on blades, there was a suggestion that a harder wearing paint could be used, there are epoxy finishes that will take real hard wear and abrasion 2 queries 1\ what different paints are used in the industry ?.2\ why do blades seem to have matt\flat finishes I would think a polished\gloss finish should stand up better & be more efficient aerodynamically? or have I missed something.We use 3M blade tapes to help with erosion on the 500 but even with 2 strips per blade the erosion further down is quite fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor^ Posted April 16, 2007 Report Share Posted April 16, 2007 (edited) 2\ why do blades seem to have matt\flat finishes To avoid sun-glare and other reflections that would disturb and reduce vision for the pilot. The same is true for the back of propellers on stuckwings, if they had been glossy, the pilot would not be able to see through the spinning propeller-disc with certain "light-angles". Edited April 16, 2007 by Raptor^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500E Posted April 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2007 Raptor A reasonable idea but why not gloss top surface, the efficiency of a polished surface is surely more efficient, less drag, less turbulence, = less Horse power consumed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpattison Posted April 18, 2007 Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 Raptor A reasonable idea but why not gloss top surface, the efficiency of a polished surface is surely more efficient, less drag, less turbulence, = less Horse power consumed Our Bell 206 has high vis blades - the topa are high gloss black & white and the bottoms are flat black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor^ Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 (edited) Our Bell 206 has high vis blades - the topa are high gloss black & white and the bottoms are flat black. Yup, a lot of blades are like that. The robbie-blades as well are glossy on top (white/yellow) and flat black under. Edited April 20, 2007 by Raptor^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanic Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 I was wondering about blade tape too.. If RHC does not want to change blade coatings then what would a person need to do to add blade tape to the leading edge? STC'd or what? I worked with a guy that was an Army Trained AP that maint'd a BO105 for Metro EMS, said he always was patching the tape? Maybe the same thing?.. Later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500E Posted April 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 Mechanic Info on 3m blade tape also in clear, we have used for years installed correctly we get 200= hours, not a high abrasive environment. Better to fit in 2 12" lengths rather than one long bit then if a section gets damaged you only have to replace the damaged length Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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