26 Sep, 16, Source: Aircraft Structural Repair, Inc.

The UH1 Operators website at www.uh1ops.com is pleased to announce Aircraft Structural Repair, Inc as a new site sponsor.  Aircraft Structural Repair, Inc. of Stevensville Montana currently sells STC SR02475SE for the installation of the tailboom motion detection system for UH-1H helicopters.

The Tailboom Motion Detection System consists of a rod incased in tubing to the interior of the tail boom and extending forward into the fuselage where a micro switch is attached to the airframe. Upon failure of an upper LH tail boom fitting, longeron or attach bolt the switch will illuminate the master caution panel indicating TAILBOOM. In most cases the BART Switch can be installed in 12 hours or less.

The system was put to the test on February 14, 2015. A logging pilot in the Northwest was performing 133, external load operation in an UH-1B helicopter with the BART tailboom motion detection system installed.  While flying a load of logs the pilot heard a loud bang and immediately noticed the master caution light was on and the caution panel was illuminated with the “TAILBOOM” light.  The pilot immediately removed all left pedal input, released the load, and landed with as minimal left pedal as possible – without incident.

Upon inspection, the upper LH tailboom fitting was found cracked as well as the sheet metal former on the upper LH tailboom bulkhead. The broken fitting was examined and determined the length of time the fitting was cracked was minimal. According to the pilot it was evident by this incident that a full break in the tailboom fitting could have become catastrophic immediately.

“Since the Tailboom Motion Detection System was introduced at the HAI Huey Forum in Orlando in March 2015 interest has been steady from operators contacting me.” according to Dustin Wood “We would like to get more of them installed, save more lives and make the UH-1 fleet that much safer.”

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