The TH-57 Perpetual Motion Machine

[KiowaDriver]

Do yall have an air conditioner in your TH57? The 67 I flew had one, and it certainly helped on those summer days.

 

[MasterBates]

There is AC in the 57.. Belt driven off the tail drive..

Also makes a great poor-man's rotor brake when the head won't friggin spin down.

 

[Swanee]

Well~

1. As per the TW-5 legal-ese, we are specifically prohibited from using ECS to slow the rotors (and left pedal, as well).

2. Unless it is over 80 degrees (or some crap like that), ECS is not a required item to have functioning (flew to KGPT the other day with no ECS... mid 70's and humid~ I have shorted out 2 helmets in the 1.5 years I have been here; I do sweat like a farm animal though).

So like a fat kid jumping rope in the attic?

 

[phrogpilot73]

What about the ole' pull the collective in a wee bit on the Bravo to stop the rotors?

 

[Jim123]

What about the ole' pull the collective in a wee bit on the Bravo to stop the rotors?

If it's too windy and/or you do it wrong, then "clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk." So nobody is allowed to do it.

Something funny and related, the Bravos have a circuit breaker whose sole purpose is to power the engine and and rotor alarms (the Charlies are wired a little differently though), so pulling it makes for at least a little peace and quiet while you're waiting. The funny part is that is the only time I can think of that I've seen a c/b wear out and need replacement. (Yes, Virginia, if you manually pop a circuit breaker too many times, then it will wear out.)

Another other funny thing about not having a rotor brake is that if you happen to park in a ridiculous crosswind and you have the pedals set wrong, the rotors can keep spinning indefinitely... not only in theory but reality... at least until you figure out why it is taking much so longer than usual.

 

[Gatordev]

Forgetting the Navy/USMC for a moment (crazy, I know)...

Is there really any reason you can't just hop out? As long as the collective and cyclic are tightened down, is there any other mechanical issue like the -60 has with droop stops? It's been forever, so that's why I ask, but I thought the 206 head was pretty simple and didn't really have any issues since it teeters anyway.

People get so bent out of shape about being outside the aircraft on the -60 (anyone but the pilot, of course) when the head isn't at 100% or 0% when nothing can possibly hurt you, so just wondering if it's an overblown, safety muscle-memory thing with the -57.

 

[KiowaDriver]

In (Army) Primary and instruments as long as someone was holding onto the cyclic during coastdown we were able to hop out and shed our gear. Some windy days that rotor never wanted to stop...unless the AC brake was engaged.

 

[SynixMan]

I don't think in the 206 it's technically an issue, but I was always told it's building a habit pattern for fleet birds that can chop your head off.

 

[Gatordev]

I don't think in the 206 it's technically an issue, but I was always told it's building a habit pattern for fleet birds that can chop your head off.

Yeah, which just isn't true. There's many reasons NOT to let go of the controls in a fleet bird (at least the -60), but even if you drop a blade, it's not going to hit you if you're on the side of the aircraft. The nose...yeah, I can see that being a possibility.

But again, I'm just asking about the 206 and not the Navy/MC's reasons for doing it.

 

[Pags]

People get so bent out of shape about being outside the aircraft on the -60 (anyone but the pilot, of course) when the head isn't at 100% or 0% when nothing can possibly hurt you, so just wondering if it's an overblown, safety muscle-memory thing with the -57.

If busdriver is still around he might be able to provide some more info, but my understanding is that the AF 60s spin at idle (the horror!) until they're ready to fly and then put the PCLs to FLY. The whole time the crew chief (or FE or mechanic or whatever the AF calls him) is on a long cord walking about.

 

[Gatordev]

If busdriver is still around he might be able to provide some more info, but my understanding is that the AF 60s spin at idle (the horror!) until they're ready to fly and then put the PCLs to FLY. The whole time the crew chief (or FE or mechanic or whatever the AF calls him) is on a long cord walking about.

Exactly. I've seen the Army do the same many times. I always find it amusing when I'm in the cockpit with someone and they make a big deal that the rotors are still spinning after you have to a blow a motor down (after a hot start or flameout on start) and I don't bother to put the brake on when we know we're about to start the startup sequence again.

But the -60 is the red herring here... Apparently the HT IPs are FINALLY busy getting X's instead of surfing the 'net and they can't respond.

 

[KBayDog]

Apparently the HT IPs are FINALLY busy getting X's instead of surfing the 'net and they can't respond.

Okay, I'll bite: We're too busy waiting for the rotors to wind down to respond.

 

[squorch2]

The clunk clunk clunk of the static stops hitting the mast becomes an issue when IPs can't tell the difference between chipped paint and dents.

But don't get me started about dents...

 

[jt71582]

^ Don't get him started.

 

[MasterBates]

Start about dents. Color me curious.

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