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Rotor blade manufacturer Van Horn Aviation (VHA) will display a prototype of its new Bell 412/212 tail rotor blade here at Heli-Expo Booth No. 9651. Designed by VHA engineers in collaboration with Bell Helicopter Textron representatives, the new tail rotor blade is predicted to increase tail rotor authority while reducing pilot workload and eliminating inspections required by the current rotor blade’s airworthiness directives (AD).

“We’re building on the success of the VHA 206B/L tail rotor blade, using the same NASA-designed laminar flow airfoil and a similar swept tip for greater efficiency and reduced noise,” said VHA president James Van Horn. “We’ll also continue our tradition of doubling the service life compared to the OEM blade to offer the operators a great value in addition to great performance.”

The VHA 412/212 tail rotor blade features a carbon fiber structure and an electroformed nickel abrasion strip. Van Horn Aviation has completed the detail design and spar manufacturing development tests on the 412/212 blade and is working with Bell Helicopter engineers to develop the bird strike tests as required by FAR Part 29.631.

Based in Tempe, Ariz., Van Horn Aviation specializes in the design, certification and manufacturing of aftermarket dynamic components for various rotorcraft. Its current products include a composite tail rotor blade certified for the Bell 206B3, 206L series and OH-58, and an aftermarket carbon fiber tail rotor blade for various models of the UH-1. VHA is also developing main rotor blades for the MD 530F and tail rotor blades for the Bell 412/212. For more information visit www.vanhornaviation.com.