Sun, Nov 13, 2016
Will Allow Installation Of Composite Main Rotor Blades On Bell 206B Helicopters
Transport Canada has approved an STC for the installation of composite main rotor blades on Bell 206B JetRanger helicopters to rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA).
Approved by the FAA in February 2016 for use in the United States, the VHA 206B main rotor blades may now be installed for use on JetRangers in Canada.
“Operators are already flying our 206B main rotor blades in four U.S. states, and so far we’ve heard very positive feedback,” said VHA president Dean Rosenlof. “Many of the operators are confirming what we felt in flight testing, including increased responsiveness compared to the metal blades.”
The VHA 206B main rotor blades feature carbon fiber skin and spars, an efficient NASA-designed laminar-flow airfoil, tapered tip, and a combination of stainless steel and nickel abrasion strips that cover the entire length of the blade for erosion and lightning strike protection. The VHA blades use the identical installation configuration as the OEM blades, allowing direct replacement without hub modification.
“We ordered a set of the VHA 206B main blades when they were first available, and have had four Canadian operators waiting to purchase that set since February,” said Ken Przontka, president of Ontario-based AOG Heliservices, a factory-authorized service center for Bell Helicopter and a VHA distributor for its UH-1 tail rotor blades. “We’ve had great success in Canada with the Van Horn tail rotor blades, and we anticipate ready adoption of the JetRanger main rotor blades as operators find out how they will outperform the OEM blades and lower direct operating costs.”
The Transport Canada STC grants the same service life for the VHA 206B main rotor blades as the FAA STC: 18,000-hours with overhauls required every 2,800 hours. List price is $79,500 per blade available through Aeronautical Accessories or Bell Helicopter authorized service centers.
(Image provided with Van Horn Aviation news release)
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