Helicopter Track and Balance, also known as Rotor Smoothing is the biggest preventive maintenance item one can do to a helicopter to minimize maintenance cost.

Think about it, a helicopter has multiple rotating components:  transmissions, driveshafts, cooling fans, rotors, etc. If these items are producing vibrations, the damage caused could be severe.

 

Advantages of rotor smoothing

Better quality ride

  • Minimized vibration
  • Minimized cabin noise
  • Minimized structural stresses
  • Minimized pilot fatigue
  • Minimized power loss
  • Increased bearing life

Signs that a track and balance is needed

  • Cracking of engine baffles
  • Generator/Alternator mounts breaking
  • Repeated exhaust cracks
  • Compass fluid "foaming"
  • Instrument panel shaking
  • Repeated instrument failures
  • Sheet metal cracking
  • Cracked or broken engine mounts
  • Tail rotor cable chaffeing

When should a track and balance be performed?

  • Any time the main or tail rotor blades are removed and reinstalled
  • Any time the main or tail rotor blades are replaced
  • Any time the main or tail rotor hubs have be removed and reinstalled
  • Any time the main or tail rotor hubs are replaced
  • Every 100 hours in use
  • If it has been a long time since the last smoothing
  • At least every annual inspection
  • If a vibration is being felt

 

 Some simple facts

Vibration causes cracks in sheet metal over time

  • Vibration can cause expensive damage to avionics and instruments
  • Pilots will get accustomed to almost any vibration level over time
  • Vibration increases pilot fatigue
  • Vibration can cause passenger concerns

Rotor track and balance should be done regularly to keep vibration levels down. In a short amount of time, vertical vibrations will develop from normal use. Since these vibrations usually increase in very small amounts, pilots usually will not  feel these vibrations until they are high. If completed regularly, the data can be used for trend analysis in conjunction with oil analysis.

Main and tail rotors are not the only items that need to be checked. Main transmissons, driveshafts, cooling fans, gearboxes, pumps etc. can benefit from a spectrum analysis. Used as a trending tool, these items can be watched for any abnormal vibration and removed from service before they fail.

With our equipment, we can balance and smooth just about any helicopter manufactured.

  • Agusta
  • Bell
  • Enstrom
  • Eurocopter
  • Hiller
  • Hughes
  • MIL
  • Robinson
  • Schweizer
  • Sikorsky