The PDF linked above is a good read. I admire the skills required. Flying near radio towers especially HF frequencies causing EMF quirks is disturbing. It must be a known problem to avoid but one would think the components could be shielded and hardened better. I look forward to more sharing of your learning and adventures.

Gary

PA1195 wrote:The PDF linked above is a good read. I admire the skills required. Flying near radio towers especially HF frequencies causing EMF quirks is disturbing. It must be a known problem to avoid but one would think the components could be shielded and hardened better. I look forward to more sharing of your learning and adventures.

Gary

There are many EMF hazards throughout the world that are extremely powerful and no shielding is possible. The .JPG below is a well known example. Kaena Point, Oahu. The radiation is classified as a health issue.



Dangerous energy levels not in the visible, aural, or infrared can not be mitigated and must be physically avoided.

Glad you are onboard this thread. Good topics.

FWIW, all helicopters here use Camco 210 for a windshield cleaner/polish. So I use the same on my airplanes. Yep, rain & dust = blade erosion. We don’t put anything on the tailrotor blades. On Jetrangers the heavy persistent west coast rain would turn the last 3’ outboard to cottage cheese. We’d rasp it back to profile, fill the deeper pockets with bondo, and then lay peel-backing clear tape over the leading edge. When that wore through water would catch in the little pockets formed by the holes in the tape and you’d get some real impressive vertical vibrations until you could land somewhere and peel the rest of the tape off.

Same water erosion on the props of our seaplanes, but mostly from taxiing on water downwind.

Karmutzen wrote:FWIW, all helicopters here use Camco 210 for a windshield cleaner/polish. So I use the same on my airplanes. Yep, rain & dust = blade erosion. We don’t put anything on the tailrotor blades. On Jetrangers the heavy persistent west coast rain would turn the last 3’ outboard to cottage cheese. We’d rasp it back to profile, fill the deeper pockets with bondo, and then lay peel-backing clear tape over the leading edge. When that wore through water would catch in the little pockets formed by the holes in the tape and you’d get some real impressive vertical vibrations until you could land somewhere and peel the rest of the tape off.

Same water erosion on the props of our seaplanes, but mostly from taxiing on water downwind.

I know what you are saying.

Now I know why Oregon is the home-building/experimental aircraft capital of the world. Because, it rains here for two (sometimes more than three) weeks at a time in the Winter! However, Summer is much more dry. Lots of time to spend in the garage drilling rivet holes!

Rain is something we must deal with on the coast. But, hopefully as little as possible and proactive preventive maintenance is paramount!

Sunrise today was light rain, East wind 13KTS, gusting to 16KTS. Sky was dark and visibility was about (4) NM. Not a pretty sight for a VFR Helicopter. But, I need to get my 100 hours (6.0 more) and time is money. I rolled her on to the ramp in the dark drizzles.



Well..I didn’t realize there was a squall approaching. It was hidden in the darkness. So unbeknownst, I preflighted, hopped in and took off to a 4’ hover. Made a CTAF call on 122.8 “N18EK...taxi to RWY 02.” The taxiway was heading downwind so my back was to the wind and couldn’t really see the weather to come. It started to get bumpy so I stopped and turned the ship into the wind to see where the turbulence was coming from. There it stood, a nasty squall coming over the airport. Well, “let’s ride it for a moment” I thought to myself, and see how bad it is. Ultimately, I made a decision to set down on the taxiway and wait it out. I shutdown, waited (5) minutes until the squall dissipated and then flew back to my hangar! Put the ship inside and decide not to fly today. Added 0.1 to my logbook. Thank God there was no HAIL embedded.

Ok, it is a good time to wax the blades and windshields. Flying is just spooky this morning. One of many favorite waxes I use is this:


Before I rolled into the hangar, I used this “Orange” cleaning stuff that is really mild to remove exhaust stains from the the cowl and tail boom.


Thank you for posting in the thread! I love hearing from the crew!

My one ride in an R22 many years ago amounted to me being seat ballast so the new PIC could practice flying while hovering in a stiff breeze. I recall going sideways quite a bit and other directions relative to the wind. Fun stuff.

Now he's experienced: http://www.quicksilverair.com/about_us.html

Why did RHC use a carb instead of FI? Ice isn't our friend.

Gary

PA1195 wrote:My one ride in an R22 many years ago amounted to me being seat ballast so the new PIC could practice flying while hovering in a stiff breeze. I recall going sideways quite a bit and other directions relative to the wind. Fun stuff.

Now he's experienced: http://www.quicksilverair.com/about_us.html

Why did RHC use a carb instead of FI? Ice isn't our friend.

Gary

Ballast is definitely a helpful item. I’m using ballast until I can fly a passenger. In my last video the ship definitely is nose high on liftoff and touchdowns, even with ballast.

This time of year and at this elevation, the carb heat is on full time (fully filtered). These helicopters rarely fly at WOT, so carburetor ice is a major concern. The R44 Raven II is fuel injected and I believe is the most popular selling model. It does not have the ice issue because it’s injected.

R44 Cadet legally runs on 91 unleaded as on May, 2018 from the factory! Robinson and Lycoming both endorse unleaded. The ship has carburetor heat assist which automatically adjusts depending on throttle position and a throttle body temperature gauge after the venturi. The physical correlation can be turned off if desired under ideal conditions.

Fuel injection = 100LL (ugh)
Carb = unleaded or 100LL

First snow with the R44, Oregon Coastal Mountains:

Dirty backroad...

Ted, keep practicing your ridge-top hovers. Soon you will be ready to drop me and my skis off.

Zzz wrote:Ted, keep practicing your ridge-top hovers. Soon you will be ready to drop me and my skis off.

Ahhh, you read my mind. I am thinking of Sisters? There should be snow well into April!

KONP last week (gone now):


Santiam Pass on Wednesday:

Oregon sand dunes and snow:

2019.03.14.KONP.Sand.Snow


Note: Total time in Helicopters 99.7

Wednesday 2019.03.20 will be the Equinox, (5) more days until Spring Season and our dear Earth will be perfectly straight up and down. The snow will be melting here on the coast soon...

Fly onboard with me, feel the good vibes...

2019.03.15.mix.video.R44Cadet

Today flew to an old logging road in the backcountry. The LZ had a “half a ball” of slope (left) and about 5-10 degrees pointed downhill. Not what I wanted. I need to look closer before committing to an LZ next time. It was morning twilight and depth perception wasn’t good at all. Definitely a good lesson about judgement. The video shows me wrestling the helicopter to the ground. Nothing dangerous or regretful, just a handful.

Also, my little bird flew with the pilot side door off today for her first time!

2019.03.16.R44.Backcountry (Slope Operations Video)

It’s like Summer here today, even with (2) days of Winter left til Spring!

Yesterday Pacific City, Oregon...

2019.03.18.PacifcCity Rob’s Airport

8GCBC wrote:

PA1195 wrote:The PDF linked above is a good read. I admire the skills required. Flying near radio towers especially HF frequencies causing EMF quirks is disturbing. It must be a known problem to avoid but one would think the components could be shielded and hardened better. I look forward to more sharing of your learning and adventures.

Gary

There are many EMF hazards throughout the world that are extremely powerful and no shielding is possible. The .JPG below is a well known example. Kaena Point, Oahu. The radiation is classified as a health issue.



Dangerous energy levels not in the visible, aural, or infrared can not be mitigated and must be physically avoided.

Glad you are onboard this thread. Good topics.

Funny. I usually get a permit from the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources to hike the ridge to the east of Kaena Point when I visit. I never read anything about the radiation until this threat.

CAVU wrote:

8GCBC wrote:

PA1195 wrote:The PDF linked above is a good read. I admire the skills required. Flying near radio towers especially HF frequencies causing EMF quirks is disturbing. It must be a known problem to avoid but one would think the components could be shielded and hardened better. I look forward to more sharing of your learning and adventures.

Gary

There are many EMF hazards throughout the world that are extremely powerful and no shielding is possible. The .JPG below is a well known example. Kaena Point, Oahu. The radiation is classified as a health issue.



Dangerous energy levels not in the visible, aural, or infrared can not be mitigated and must be physically avoided.

Glad you are onboard this thread. Good topics.

Funny. I usually get a permit from the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources to hike the ridge to the east of Kaena Point when I visit. I never read anything about the radiation until this threat.

DNLR may not know the conditions up there. Do you have a copy of the permit? I would like to see what it says?

Defined technically, PFC is not an off airport “Backcountry” landing strip. However, it’s let’s say, a semi-Backcountry strip? Super fun for a Sunny Winter day....

Disclaimer: No big, strong & buff bush pilots in any of my lastest videos. Just having fun and learning to fly heli.

2019.03.17 Semi-Backcountry helo

Man your water must be way different than at my airport. If I did that my plane would be white hard water spots all over.

soaringhiggy wrote:Man your water must be way different than at my airport. If I did that my plane would be white hard water spots all over.

The salt is literally suspended in the air during coastal flights, the mist is really salty. Especially during the Winter because of high surf. The water from the hose is pretty clean, however. Good soft water.

The USCG Air Station next to my hangar washes the helo everyday!

Thank you for watching!

I spent a lot of time at that station the after the CG I was at the Hatfield for several years love that area. Been in that area long enough there was only on Moes, the pixy kitchen and little black sambo's

I don't get there enough any more. I would love to fly out and help wash the bird with you and catch some ling.

The posts are so cool..