VHA personnel have begun the process of manufacturing flight test blades for the 412/212 tail rotor blade program. The first set of flight test blades will be serial numbers 005 and 006, as four blades are already in Texas for the FAA Part 29-required bird strike test. The bird strike test, which will be completed at a test lab during the first week of November, will determine whether the blades will allow a helicopter traveling at V(H) or V(NE) to continue flying to a safe landing after the blades impact a 1kg (2.2 lb) bird. After the blades pass the bird-strike test, the program will continue to the actual flight test phase.
Manufacturing 412/212 Flight Test Blades
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If you're heading to Anaheim for Heli-Expo 2024, be sure to stop by VHA's Booth No. 2211 to say hello and pick up your limited edition bottle opener and tap hammer (while supplies last). Both items are manufactured in-house at VHA's facility in Tempe.
Van Horn Aviation provides two resources for authorized repair personnel who replace bearings in VHA 206 series tail rotor blades. These include Technical Bulletin TB 2062200-1 and a How-To video.
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