1510 W. Drake Drive, Tempe, Arizona USA 85283
VHA Receives TIA on 206B Version 2 Main Rotor Blades
VHA recently received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) on its updated composite main rotor blades for the Bell 206B JetRanger helicopter.
The last major hurdle prior to receiving a supplemental type certificate (STC), the TIA signifies that the design meets type design requirements and permits FAA pilots to perform final flight tests prior to certification. The FAA completed its flight tests of VHA’s 206B Version 2 main rotor blades on July 21 in Torrance, Calif.
“The main differences between our initial 206B main rotor blades and the Version 2 blades are the ply counts and orientation of the carbon fiber skin and spar plies,” said VHA CEO James Van Horn. “We used experience gained from our 206L LongRanger main rotor blades to redesign the JetRanger blades. With the changes in plies and mass distribution, our 206B Version 2 main rotor blades will provide a ride nearly identical to our 206L blades.”
The VHA 206B Version 2 main rotor blades feature corrosion resistant carbon fiber skin and spars, an efficient NASA-designed laminar-flow airfoil, tapered tip, and stainless steel/nickel abrasion strips along the entire length of the leading edge. Service life of the 206B Version 2 main rotor blade will be 10,000 hours with no overhauls required.
Priced at $60,000 per blade, the VHA 206B Version 2 main rotor blades will be available directly from Van Horn Aviation and through its distributor network. Since a limited number of the Version 2 blades will be available directly after the FAA STC/PMA authorization is acquired, interested operators are encouraged to contact VHA or their local distributor to secure a delivery position with a 20 percent deposit.
SHARE THIS POST:
For 206L LongRanger operators flying P/N 20633000-101 serial numbers A007-A009 or A012-A104, we would like to remind you that these blades are subject to AD 2022-22-08, which requires recurring tap inspections every 400 flight hours or 2,400 engine starts, whichever comes first. You can learn more about the tap test requirements and procedure in our video . These blades are likely to develop a delamination in the area of the weight pocket on the lower surface of the blade. The AD further requires removing the blades from service if the delamination reaches 6 inches in length. However, extensive company testing indicates that all blades will likely achieve their full retirement life before that occurs. So long as the delamination is monitored and does not exceed the permitted length, the blades are entirely safe to fly with no adverse effects on aircraft behavior or performance. Operators are required to report their findings at every inspection interval to VHA for tracking using the form on the last page of Service Bulletin 33000-4 . Completed forms should be emailed to info@vanhornaviation.com . Providing this data helps to ensure all operators of these blades remain safe. All of the identified blades are likely to have delaminations, so if none are detected please contact us for assistance. In addition, this AD is considered an interim action and once sufficient data is gathered it may be updated to reduce the required frequency of inspection. Refer to AD 2022-22-08 and SB 33000-4 for further information.
AS350 Tail and Manufacturer Tech Briefs Given at Verticon 2025 Posted Here
Eurosafety Pilot Kevin Nelson
