MAINTENANCE MINUTE BALANCE
By Mark Tyler
Balance is critical. It doesn’t matter if it’s related to the helicopters we fly and maintain, a person on a tightrope, or just managing our everyday lives. Maintaining balance is required if we are to continue to progress and minimize our limiting factors.
We can take anything to the excess and quickly get out of balance. That’s why it is a good idea to have an accountability partner to help you see things that you may miss seeing yourself. The saying “You can’t see the forest for the trees” is accurate, and sometimes briefly stepping away will clear one’s focus.
The machines we fly and maintain are no different than our own bodies. When that helicopter comes to life, it has thousands of moving parts and pieces that must perform together in harmony with the purest of synchrony and balance. As the machine begins to breathe, gears begin to mesh, oil and hydraulic pumps begin to turn, drive shafts rotate, and rotor hubs spin the main and tail rotors. And let’s not forget the engines themselves with hundreds of high-speed rotating components.
As the components rotate, they create a vibration. This frequency is measured in Hz, and the magnitude in inches per second. When compared to the established OEM parameters, we then have a predictive analytical tool that can predict or eliminate failure and maintain balance.
Historically, we are required to perform a rotor track and balance at specified intervals to maintain optimum balance and make corrections as needed. A rotating component that is out of balance can and will create low- or high-frequency vibrations that will unnecessarily cause the aircraft to be out of service and shorten the life of components.
I am encouraged to see the efficiency and accuracy of the latest HUMS devices. These units deliver real-time data on airframe and engine condition. They give the mechanic an additional tool to keep the aircraft in top condition and give the pilot greater peace of mind.
RMCI President and CEO Ken Speaks observes, “The new HUMS devices can diagnose problems with an astounding
rate of success. They have identified some emerging failures up to 100 hours before receiving a chip light.”
As mechanics, we must keep ourselves in balance as well. A healthy diet and exercise can be difficult to fit into our day, so sometimes we just simply must step back, rest, and reassess our situation. Also, utilizing the essential tools of personal and professional development (discussed in last year’s March/April column) will enhance balance in our life.
We use numbers to measure the health of our aircraft. We use numbers to measure our health. And we use numbers to measure our progress, or as a score against our goals. Jon Gordon said it best: “Numbers don’t motivate people. Motivated people produce numbers. Then the numbers measure the progress.”
As we begin 2022, remember: to do your best, you must be your best. Motivate, operate, and keep the faith — then we will see progress as we balance the weight.
About the author: Mark Tyler dedicated the majority of his career to serving the helicopter EMS community, from base mechanic to director of maintenance. As vice president and general manager of Precision Aircraft Services, Tyler now serves helicopter operators from many sectors including air ambulance, law enforcement, private owners, etc. When not at work, he can be found spending time with his family or sitting in a tree stand.
20
Jan/Feb 2022
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
