Colin Mcrea Rally Racer And Son Die In Helicopter Accident

[Freefall]

Sounds like a horrible accident. Poor family.

 

http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sp...icle2461339.ece

[porter]

That sucks.

He was a fantastic talent, cool and very fast.

The auto racing world will always remember him.......

RIP

[new guy]

you said it porter

 

a true driver that never blaimed his car or crew

 

my thought and prayers go out to his wife and daughter

[Rotorboy2]

Man, that does suck. He was a talented driver. I enjoyed watching rally races when he was driving.

[Bell Hell]

The site linked with the story is reporting that the drive belt on his AStar failed, causing a loss of power to the main rotor.

 

Funny way they build AStars over the pond. And typically poor research by the reporters.

 

Still, a great loss to the racing world and a terrible accident for the family.

[412driver]

The site linked with the story is reporting that the drive belt on his AStar failed, causing a loss of power to the main rotor.

 

Funny way they build AStars over the pond. And typically poor research by the reporters.

 

Still, a great loss to the racing world and a terrible accident for the family.

 

 

forgive the dumb question as i have never flown an a-star but would losing the drive belt not allow an autorotation?

 

i'm not looking to blame anybody, just curious.......

 

a tragic accident with condolences to family, friends and fans

[nutmix]

forgive the dumb question as i have never flown an a-star but would losing the drive belt not allow an autorotation?

 

i'm not looking to blame anybody, just curious.......

 

a tragic accident with condolences to family, friends and fans

 

 

The only drive belt on an Astar is for the hydraulic pump..................

[Bell Hell]

412driver:

 

As nutmix pointed out, the only belt in an AStar drives the hydraulic pump. You are also correct that the aircraft could still autorotate (depending on where you are on the deadman) even if the input driveshaft failed.

 

Even if the hydraulic drive belt failed, actions can be taken to slow the aircraft and then promptly land while you still have the strength to move the controls. The older smooth belts were more prone to failure than the new ribbed belts.

 

A more typical problem the type is hydraulic transparency, which I understand to be when rotor loads overpower the hydraulics and lock the cyclic. I'm told that the only action is to unload the disc, allowing the hydraulics to do their thing again. This characteristic has been blamed for a number of accidents.

[412driver]

412driver:

 

As nutmix pointed out, the only belt in an AStar drives the hydraulic pump. You are also correct that the aircraft could still autorotate (depending on where you are on the deadman) even if the input driveshaft failed.

 

Even if the hydraulic drive belt failed, actions can be taken to slow the aircraft and then promptly land while you still have the strength to move the controls. The older smooth belts were more prone to failure than the new ribbed belts.

 

A more typical problem the type is hydraulic transparency, which I understand to be when rotor loads overpower the hydraulics and lock the cyclic. I'm told that the only action is to unload the disc, allowing the hydraulics to do their thing again. This characteristic has been blamed for a number of accidents.

 

thanks for the explanation!! :up:

[Bell Hell]

thanks for the explanation!! :up:

 

No problem, 412, and I hope that explanation suffices as it very nearly exhausted my AStar knowledge.

 

If you'd like to know the the rest, I can tell you they have three big blades that turn the wrong way, nobody knows how to count cycles on the engine, and the manuals are poor translations from the French:

 

"Installation of the engine should pose no problem. Step one: offer the engine up to the aircraft..."

 

Kinda gets me there. I get this vision of white-robed engineers, surrounded by chanting pilots, solemnly wheeling up a new stove to an AStar on an altar.

 

But maybe that's just me.