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CH-148 Cyclone Progress

Never heard it referred to as LIADAR before (assuming you're talking about Light Detection and Ranging...lasers).  But, yes, it's a neat bit of tech.

Re: a 2nd, smaller fleet for use on AOPs, etc...similar to how the RCAF will use the Aurora as a MMA (multi-mission aircraft), I suspect the Cyclone MH will be used as a "MMH".
 
Colin P said:
The AOP's are going to end up being more useful than you giving them credit for.
Click to expand...

I hope you are right; my fear is that we're paying Irving prices to get Irving quality.
 
Eye In The Sky said:
Never heard it referred to as LIADAR before (assuming you're talking about Light Detection and Ranging...lasers).  But, yes, it's a neat bit of tech.

Re: a 2nd, smaller fleet for use on AOPs, etc...similar to how the RCAF will use the Aurora as a MMA (multi-mission aircraft), I suspect the Cyclone MH will be used as a "MMH".
Click to expand...

Oops, I meant LIDAR was tired
 
Oh yea, glad they found them. Someone was doing a good job of inspecting their aircraft.

Nearly all of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Maritime fleet of CH-148 Cyclone helicopters are undergoing repairs after cracks were found in the tails of the aircraft.

"12 Wing Shearwater, which encompasses the entire fleet, is prioritizing the order of repair to maximize return to serviceability for each aircraft," according to a Department of National Defence statement to CBC News on Saturday.

After the cracks were found on one of the Sikorsky-made helicopters during routine maintenance on Nov. 26, other aircraft in the squadron were inspected and cracks were found in three more, according to the statement.

On Sunday, CBC News requested clarification on the number of helicopters affected and where they were based.

The RCAF replied that, in fact, 19 of its total fleet of 23 CH-148 aircraft were found to have the cracking problem. Two were found to have no cracking and the remaining two are in long-term maintenance and have not yet been inspected.

 
Colin Parkinson said:
Oh yea, glad they found them. Someone was doing a good job of inspecting their aircraft.

Nearly all of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Maritime fleet of CH-148 Cyclone helicopters are undergoing repairs after cracks were found in the tails of the aircraft.

"12 Wing Shearwater, which encompasses the entire fleet, is prioritizing the order of repair to maximize return to serviceability for each aircraft," according to a Department of National Defence statement to CBC News on Saturday.

After the cracks were found on one of the Sikorsky-made helicopters during routine maintenance on Nov. 26, other aircraft in the squadron were inspected and cracks were found in three more, according to the statement.

On Sunday, CBC News requested clarification on the number of helicopters affected and where they were based.

The RCAF replied that, in fact, 19 of its total fleet of 23 CH-148 aircraft were found to have the cracking problem. Two were found to have no cracking and the remaining two are in long-term maintenance and have not yet been inspected.

Click to expand...
How normal is this? And what is the solution? It's not fatigue but stress? So more reinforcement?

Also we're now up to 24 out of 27 aircraft delivered, I'm assuming we can expect the entire fleet to be operational by end of next year
 
It's not that unusual, depending where and on what, the part can be redesigned and replaced. If it's on some key parts, it can be a problem.
 
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Eye In The Sky said:
“In the tails” is pretty vague in terms of area. Normal? Hard to say.

Operational; depends on what you categorize that as I guess.

“Only two of Canada's 23 Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopters are currently fit to fly. The rest of the multibillion-dollar fleet is in need of repair”...

Yup. Not many people will say this is a good thing.

Click to expand...
So worse then, great
 
Ambiguous reporting - “cracks in tail”. I’ll have to snoop around work and see if there is an actual DND report that stimulated this news report. Cracks in tail rotor seems more probable - similar to 149/146 growing pains. 149 ended up with a total re-design of the rotor blade assemblies.
 
Zoomie said:
Ambiguous reporting - “cracks in tail”. I’ll have to snoop around work and see if there is an actual DND report that stimulated this news report. Cracks in tail rotor seems more probable - similar to 149/146 growing pains. 149 ended up with a total re-design of the rotor blade assemblies.
Click to expand...
If you go on the DWAN 1 CAD OA website, there should be an ARA with a bit of details (under OA Documents/CH148).
 
It’s usually just a matter of time before structures manifest cracks and doublers (or triplers) become the fashion for the rest of a helicopter’s service. Sometimes the doublers are part of the original design (like the Griffon, that had similar doublers to the Twin Huey on the tail fin where it joins the tail boom, but were part of the original build, vice a post-delivery mod for the Twin.) I’ve seen cracks in every green helicopter less the new Chinooks…but those will come in due time around the aft pylon…it a known and predictable, addressable occurrence. Given that the cracks were found on the Cyclone at a relatively early stage and the SI & mods are being actioned quickly, I’d say: 1) good on the tech for finding them, and 2) DND and SIK addressing it in an expeditious manner.

$0.02
G2G
 
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