AS 350 D, B, BA, B1, and B2

Initial Pilot Ground School

Chapter 4
Main Rotor
 Main Rotor Mast

Bearing
Rotating and
Stationary Star

Balljoint
"Uni-Ball" Roller
Bearing
"Stovepipe"
4-Contact Bearing
(Main Bearing)

Suspension Bar

4.3
Swashplate Operation

4.3
Swashplate Bearing
After the Last Flight of the Day:

Within 5 minutes after rotor stops: check

the swashplate bearing for abnormal heating
felt when touched with hand, grease runs,
and change in color or scaling of the paint.
Sec 4.1 page 13 (B2), & sec 8.4 page 5

NOTE: Lubrication required every 100 hours

SB 62.02 and 62.12 applies.
Mast Assembly

Upper MGB
chip detector

4.5
Spherical Main Rotor Head
Thrust
Bearings Star Arm

Frequency
Adapters

Blade
Sleeve
Yellow PC
Master Track
P/C Rods

4.2
Starflex Rotor Hub

+20º Max
• Low maintenance (no
lubrication required)
-6º Max
• “Fail Safe”
characteristics of
composite material.

• Modular Design.
Parts are easily
replaced with
common tools.

4.7
 Starflex AD
2002-03-52 Check of bonding between Starflex and metal
end bushing. Before each start of engine with time
between checks not to exceed 4 hours (Pilot sign-off).
 Spherical Thrust Bearing
(Cut-Away View of an Elastomeric Bearing)

• The Spherical
Thrust Bearing
is pitched 18º
on the hub.
• During preflight,
no granular
rubber should
be visible on
the bearing
surface.
 Frequency Adapter

Check for cracks during preflight Severe delamination

4.8
Flapping

• The star arms are flexible in

flapping.

• The blade/sleeve assembly

flaps about the laminated
spherical stop, which distorts
elastically.

4.8
In-Plane Drag (Lead-Lag)

• Star arms are rigid in-

plane.
• Under the action of the
drag forces, the
elastomer blocks deform
in shear.
• The blade/sleeve
assembly pivots about
the spherical stop which
deforms elastically.

4.8
 Pitch Change

• The star arms are rigid in torsion.

• Actuated by the blade horn, the laminated spherical stop deforms
in torsion and the sleeve rotates about an axis going through the
laminated spherical stop center O and rotation in the ball joint
center O'.
4.9
 Centrifugal Loads

• The centrifugal loads act on the laminated spherical stop via

the sleeves.
• The stop (stiff in compression) transmits the centrifugal
loads to the thick center section of the star, where they
balance each other out. The star arms are thus not stressed.

4.9
 Installation of Rotor Blades
Locking
pin

Blade
retaining
pins

Bonding braid ensures

continuity Safety pin
between the metal parts
of the blade and the rotor
head
 Rotor Blades

• Constructed of composite materials

• Stainless steel cuff with bonding braid to remove
static electricity
• “Fail Safe” design, meaning any possible damage
progresses very slowly and is quite visible.
4.14
 Main Rotor Blades
Roving Spar Foam Core Glass Fiber Skin

Chord 350 mm

355 Rotor Blades

Stainless Steel Cuff Polyurethane Strip Roving Trailing Edge

Chord 300 mm

350 Rotor Blades

4.14
Blade Root
 Rotor Blades

• Preflight - check leading

edge for delamination,
exposed fiberglass, and any
obvious damage.
• Hot air de-ice source is
limited to 80ºC (176ºF).
Rotor RPM Monitoring

Nr
< 360 RPM
> 410 RPM (B2)

D, B, BA B1, B2
4.15
Phonic Sensor and Phonic Wheel

4.16
 Phonic Sensor

Phonic Sensor
4.6
 Main Rotor Speed D & B
• Power On:
On the ground
at low pitch ........375+ 5
In stabilized
flight...................385 +1/-5

• Power Off:
Maximum............424 rpm
Minimum.............320 rpm

Continuous Horn
below 360 rpm
(pre-AMS 1891: 335 rpm)
 Main Rotor Speed BA
• Power On:
On the ground
at low pitch......... 380 ± 5
Hover................. 385 ± 5
Cruise flight........ 390 + 4/- 5

• Power Off:
Maximum........... 430 rpm
Minimum............ 320 rpm

Continuous Horn
below 360 rpm
 Main Rotor Speed B1 & B2
• Power On:
On the ground
at low pitch............. 380 ± 5
In stabilized
flight....................... 390 +4 -5

• Power Off:
Maximum................ 430 rpm
Minimum................. 320 rpm

Continuous Horn
below 360 rpm

B2 only: Intermittent Horn

above 410 rpm
 Rotor RPM Indicator Failure

- Maintain the torque above 20% (B, BA)

10% (B1, B2)
(NR reading is then given by NF pointer)

- B, BA : Land as soon as practicable.

- B1, B2: Land as soon as possible.
 Free Turbine RPM Indicator Failure

- Check that NR Reading remains within

governed range when collective pitch is slowly
modified with engine torque above 0%.

- Continue flight.
 NR/NF readings below green arc

(NR/NF readings agree)

- Excessive power demand:

reduce collective pitch.
or
- Governor failure: (refer to
Sect. 3.1 § 4)
 Different NR/NF readings

NR reading exceeds NF:

- NR reading is incorrect, except
in Autorotation (near zero
torque).

NF reading exceeds NR:

- on the ground during starting
sequence: reduce the engine
fuel flow control setting to
check for possible freewheel
slippage.
- In flight: NR reading is
probably incorrect.
 Aural Warning
The horn sounds to warn of:

- Rotor speed (NR) between 250 and 360 rpm

or 335 rpm (pre-AMS 1891).
- Hydraulic pressure drops below 30 bars.
- When testing the caption panel while the
rotor rpm is above 360 rpm.
- Intermittent sound when rotor is at 410 rpm
(B2 only).
 Aural Warning
HYD GEN M.G.B.T. BAT
M.G.B.P.
HORN
HORN F.FILT FUEL BAT.T

DOORS ENG PITOT

CHIP
FIRE
CHIP CHIP ENG.P FUEL P
TGB MGB

Horn not set

Set [arm] the horn by actuating the push-

button situated on the control pedestal panel.
(Aural warnings are operative only if the “HORN” push-button is pushed in.
When this push-button is out, the HORN light of the caution / warning /
advisory panel is ON.)
 Main Rotor Brake - NR

• Maximum rotor speed for rotor brake application:

170 rpm High wind condition
140 rpm Normal

• Recommended rotor brake application at:

100 RPM

• Minimum time between two consecutive brake applications:

5 min
 Checking Autorotational NR
Purpose: To verify the proper adjustment of the rotor speed
during autorotative descent in case of an engine failure.

Procedure: Determine an altitude (pressure altitude) that will

allow for a safe autorotational descent.
Log the pressure altitude and OAT where the NR speed
will be checked. Aircraft weight should not be very heavy:
3500 - 3750 lb. range is ideal (if too heavy, the readings
will go off the chart).
Enter and establish autorotation at 65 KIAS by lowering
collective to down stop. Leave the FFCL in the flight gate
DO NOT ALLOW NR TO EXCEED 430.
Passing through the pre-determined altitude, log NR speed.
Complete chart is found in: B & D (AS 21)
BA, B1, B2 (Chapter 8.3)
 Flight Manual
Performance Chart
Weight Target NR
1700 kg 418
Conditions:
A/C weight: 3750 lbs /1700 kg
PA: 3000 feet
OAT: 15ºC

Target NR
Autorotational Speed
15 ºC
418 NR
3000‟ PA

Actual NR should be
± 5 or + 10 / - 0
depending upon your variant.
(Check your Flight Manual.)
 Collective Down Stop
Main rotor autorotation RPM is adjustable
through a down stop bolt, located under the
collective pitch control lever.
Principle Of The Cabin Resonators

Anti-Node

Node

Node determined by resonator

Weight “M” vibrates in a

nearly vertical plane
4.22
 Cabin Resonators
Located under the Pilot and Co-pilot seats.

4.23
 Rotor Hub Vibration Absorber
• Weight “M” is located on rotor head
center-line.
• It is held by three springs allowing it Spring
Weight
to vibrate in the horizontal plane in
all directions.
• The weight responds at the
excitation frequency by M

counteracting the excitation loads.

62.5 lbs Balljoint

4.22
What Eurocopter-specific terminology is
used to describe the unique main rotor hub?

Starflex
One major advantage of the Starflex main
rotor hub is its “fail-safe” design. What is
meant by the term “fail-safe”?

Deterioration occurs slowly and is visible.

In what direction does the main rotor turn?

Left-hand blade advancing.

What functions does the spherical thrust
bearing perform?

Flapping, lead-lag, pitch and centrifugal loads.

What does the swashplate assembly move
up and down the “stovepipe” via?

The Uni-Ball.
AS350 BA, B1, & B2:
What is the aerodynamic shape of the main
rotor blade?

Asymmetrical
AS350 B & D:
What is the aerodynamic shape of the main
rotor blade?

Symmetrical
Which components in the mast assembly
monitor NR speed?

The phonic sensor and wheel.

What two components give the pilot an
indication of NR speed?

NR gauge and the horn.

What material is used to make the „cuffs‟ on
the leading edge of the main rotor blades?

Stainless steel
What components help absorb vibrations
from the three-bladed main rotor system?

The bi-directional suspension ("dog bone"),

the cabin resonators,
and the rotor hub vibration absorber.
End of Chapter 4
Main Rotor