# Chopper horrors



## Slim (11 Apr 2005)

Chopper horrors

*CORMORANT HALF HUBS KEEP BREAKING*

By STEPHANIE RUBEC, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER

THE AIR FORCE has had to replace a vital part that holds together the tail rotor of its 15 spanking new search and rescue choppers 87 times, Sun Media has learned. The unusually high breakdown rate of the tail rotor half hubs has exhausted the Canadian Forces' supply of spare parts and required engineers to work around the clock to find a solution. 

CORMORANTS 

Maj. Alain Robichaud, service manager for the Cormorant fleet, said the hubs have been replaced 87 times on the 15 new Cormorant helicopters since the military first began flying them in October 2001. 

"We don't really understand at the moment," Robichaud said. "There's a lot of effort being put into finding out." 

The Cormorants had their wing's clipped in October when a Newfoundland air crew noticed cracks on a tail rotor half hub. 

There are two X-shaped half hubs per chopper that keep the tail rotor together and act as a stabilizer for each aircraft. If they break, the chopper would crash. 

Robichaud said the Cormorants are not allowed to fly if the half hub has even a hairline fracture. 

TEST FLIGHTS 

When the first cracks were discovered last fall the military restricted the chopper's flights to life and death missions. Since then, the air force has allowed two-hour training missions, mostly to test out newly replaced hubs. 

"We're very vigilant in inspecting them and rejecting those that have cracks," Robichaud said. 

Robichaud said not only has the air force's spare parts run dry, but manufacturer Agusta-Westland is struggling to keep up with demand for new half hubs. Military engineers continue to work with Agusta-Westland to find a cause.


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## TheCheez (11 Apr 2005)

Sun Media strikes again!


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## Strike (11 Apr 2005)

Well, at least they refered to the helos as "Search and Rescue" instead of "Search and Destroy" helicopters like they did on Canada AM this morning.


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## Trinity (11 Apr 2005)

Strike said:
			
		

> Well, at least they refered to the helos as "Search and Rescue" instead of "Search and Destroy" helicopters like they did on Canada AM this morning.



Maybe they meant, Search and BE destroyed.... by your own helicopters.....


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## 404SqnAVSTeach (12 Apr 2005)

All new aircraft have teething problems... that could be a serious problem.  I think that the Griffon has a similar problem.  Don't see this one make to news... :warstory:


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