Lost my bergen Turbine heli

[dperry]

Last week I lost my Bergen Turbine heli. I was hovering upside down approx 40-60ft in a smooth stationary hover when, the nose got soft then I could start to see the tail rotor blades.

So I hit the throttle hold wile saying oh Sh**t, and shutting down the turbine all at the same time. I got it right side up just as it hit the ground, full of fuel.

There was no smoke, and no fire. This was a great disappointment to most of the old farts as, all turbines are bad since they can't afford one or fly one.

Any way Gary Travis is going through it and will rebuild it for me. The reason for this post is I don't want anyone else to learn the hard way from the same thing that happened to me.

It appears that the main shaft slipped ever so slightly which when inverted increased the gear mesh between the crown gear and tail rotor gear. This then put so much stress on the crown gear that one tooth probably broke then it just sheered off the others as it spun around.

So long story short check your main shaft collets more frequently, something I was guilty of not doing.

Any way can’t wait to get it back!

[Greg Alderman]

Don...sorry to hear about this, but look at the bright side it is no longer a virgin heli and now it can be really flown!

The Wren turbines are pretty tough and I doubt since you had it shut down by the time it hit then the turbine is fine. mine lost its virginity about 9 months ago, and Chris's lost its virginity a few months ago also...with no damage to the turbines...

Mine was about like yours...inverted hover at about 30 feet or so when the turbine just quit...got it flipped over and set it down hard on the skids...only damage was broken skids, bent blade axle and a slightly bent tail boom...cause of the turbine shut down was operator error...the knukle head who owns it didn't pull the vent plug during preflight...runs about 3 minutes before the fuel pump couldn't suck anymore fuel! :arggg: :arggg:

How did the V-blades fair through the ordeal?

[chopper jockey]

why do you have a vent plug? that`s something else to go wrong. :badair:

[Greg Alderman]

I don't normally...but I needed to turn the bird over on its back to replace a peice of fuel line and I put it in just to keep kero from spilling out all over the place...and I forgot to pull it out before flying...just a brain fart...

[dperry]

As a full scale pilot this is like reading the accident reports to me. It is something we call all learn from.

I left the fill line unplugged on my Skymaster Hawk once, and I did a high performance take off, and went vertical and the motor quit at 50 feet. I was able to glide it back around ok, but it is always the little things that will get you!

The turbine was ok and Gary thinks the transmission is ok also, and those are the two high dollar items.

So like I said before I can't wait to get my now slut heli back in the air,

[dperry]

If you look at the second pic you can see the crown gear

[Greg Alderman]

Don...the pictures answer the fate of the V-blades... :arggg:

[dperry]

Don...the pictures answer the fate of the V-blades... :arggg:

Yes I know, they did not pass the deceleration ground test!

[WayneBrown]

I gotta get one of those stickers on your transmitter case!
Who has them?

[cbergen]

That heli don't hardly look crashed! From Gary's description I was expecting some good Carnage....

Go kick it around a few times so it looks really crashed :lol: .

Just kidding, really it doesn't look too bad, I know Gary can get her back together again.

[dperry]

That heli don't hardly look crashed! From Gary's description I was expecting some good Carnage....

Go kick it around a few times so it looks really crashed :lol: .

Just kidding, really it doesn't look too bad, I know Gary can get her back together again.

The pic is decieving. But gary does first class work and will tear this one down and then build it back up like new.

[dperry]

I gotta get one of those stickers on your transmitter case!
Who has them?

As for the Old Fart Stickers I have them made. I have some that are approx 3" in dia and some that are 6". I have them in Red White & Blue.
Remember you can be old and not an old fart!

[rkeith2]

Don,

Sorry to hear of the mishap and I can sympathize about the guys sitting around talking after a heli crash.

Hope she gets airworthy soon.

Ron

[Sara]

Oh dear! I'm always sad to hear anything like this. I'm glad the turbine is OK though. There have been very few "incidents" involving our heli engines and they are very robust. They usually survive without any problems - the worst anyone's managed to do so far is dent an exhaust and squash an ECU.

If any peripherals are needed (pump, starter motor etc) Chris Bergen has spares. I'm sure Gary will get you back in the air quickly.

Sara Parish
Wren Turbines

[Gary Travis]

I have already started on the rebuild for Don. I ave gone through the engine and it has survived well. She will be back up in the air shortly.
Gary

[rkeith2]

Hey Gary -

How ya doin up there, long time no chat big guy. :mrgreen:

[dperry]

It is back!!!

Put approx 3 gal through it today with no problems

[Greg Alderman]

That is great to hear Don!

I like how you managed to sneak in a picture of a Behotec Turbine! :D :D

[rkeith2]

THREE GALLONS -

good lord I thought I was having fun today....

[dperry]

THREE GALLONS -

good lord I thought I was having fun today....Today was 72 deg with a 6 knot wind and almost no clouds. It took all afternoon to burn through the fuel though. Days like this are rare in Oklahoma! We usually rush to the field when the wind is down to 15-20 kts!!

[rkeith2]

Don -

I heard you guys used a chain for a windsock :glasses:

Glad she is back in the air

[heliman53]

Don, nice to see it back in the air, haven't flown mine in about three weeks (waiting on a starter) and you had to wait a lot longer good job! Craig B