AW 139 Tail Rotor Problems

[SARMAN]

Can anyone out there confirm that one of the AC 139's had a tail rotor problem while on the ground in Bal. Similar to what has been happening around the rest of the world as seen in the pics attached??

[Orion]

The operators name in one of those pics is very carefully covered up.

[Pause to Remember]

I didn't hearing anything about the AW 139. But I did hear that one of the CASA aircraft has been out of action recently due to some type of "cracks" issue. Hopefully the IAC are working flatout to get both aircraft back in the air. Hopefully the IAC AW139 didn't have the level of damage that the one in the picture has had! If it did, it will be out of action for a while...

[Eddie Dillon]

What are the odds it was the same aircraft?

[ZULU]

saw them flying today

[Goldie fish]

I believe that issue was due to the composite tail section melting in the desert heat, and other aircraft from the same manufacturing facility were checked for similar flaws.
I understand that is not an Italian Built machine.

Our exhausts melted.....

[Orion]

Which type of tail section boom does the Air Corps aircraft have? May be very wrong here but from what I've read there's more than one type.

Is there any further info, say published report, on the exhausts melting.

[Orion]

Are there any pictures?

[meat bomb]

Nope. When flaws were found elsewhere in the world, a system of maintenance checks were put in place that find any defects before they cause problems. Ours are fine.

[Pod]

additional info

Not the same aircraft but defo the same operator- livery is identical- Gulf Helicopter Ciompany based in Qatar
pic 1- detached rotor
pic 2 -rotor still attached to boom

[Pause to Remember]

An old tech friend of mine who is still serving, told me that he believed that the IAC had three incidents of tail boom damage on the AW 139 during the last year. He also told me though, that regular inspections are carried out to check for damage. So if there is an issue, it is being closely monitored...You can never be to careful with problems like that!

[Eddie Dillon]

If the original aircraft has been repaired you never know, the first incident did take place nearly 2 years ago after all. Seemingly the tail rotor of this latest heli flew off and landed on the tarmac nearly 50m away. Lucky no one was nearby! Here's a photo of another 139 from Hong Kong that had a tail incident recently

[SARMAN]

Some interesting posts about different parts being made in different places of the world. I was under the impression that aw had certain workshops manufacturing parts for there aircraft all to the same spec. Can anyone put any light on if this same problem with the tails has been a problem for the air corps. I have heard that there have been three 139's with a similar problem and tails replaced in the last 12 months. Any truth in this and that the air corps have put a post flight inspection off tail's in place as a result of the current worries about the posiblilty of the tail imploding..

Any air corps tech's out there not afraid off posting a comment let us know the truth, not the df and air corps propaganda!!!!!!

[Pure Hover]

The pictured Sky Shuttle incident was widely reported as a bird-strike on take-off which necessitated an immediate controlled ditching by the Capt. that everyone 'swam' away from.

Haven't heard too much about the Gulf Air one but that's quite a while ago now but wouldn't be holding my breath for the report from there. Industry sources confirm that it had suffered a previous tail-strike which probably led to the structural failure on the ground.

[danno]

[QUOTE=SARMAN;335428.

Any air corps tech's out there not afraid off posting a comment let us know the truth, not the df and air corps propaganda!!!!!![/QUOTE]

Keep your fingers quiet ,seriously bad idea to reply in the manner requested.