😉 Well said Randy, in regards to the 2x5 issue. I had a #2 Hyd system failure (pump) in Ontario in 98' with a sling load in the old 2x5 A-1, had to literally "sit" on the collective to get helicopter to start any kind of downward motion, once I was established in ground effect @ about 10 kts had to beep back linear accuator and" slowly" reduce throttle to attain ground contact even after ground contact couldn't get collective all the way to "bottom". A non event now that I look back on it. However it does raise some questions in regards to "System Safety" this individual problem was traced back to the overhaul facility. Eurocopter System Safety does not seem to be addressing a re-accuring problematic hydrulic system nor are they advising industry of efforts being made of this new "mystry phenomenon" leaving operators and pilots to draw there own conclusions. HAC does a wonderful job of keeping it's members, as informed as it can. Unfortunatly this does not blanket all operators and leaves them in the preverbial abyss. I personally do not work the A-star proffesionally, and have only flown it a couple of times, personally I thought it to be " Easy to start , fun to fly , have an emergency and you might die". 😛 This hardly quantifies me as a source of intel on this A/C , however, I do have a lot of very dear friends that do "work" this helicopter and it worries me that we as an industry are not taking on and tackling this "problem" with all of our collective resources to try and solve or at least identify this mystry immediately. All of the suggestions made in this forum warrant merit. I appauld the efforts that are being made by CTD and his counter-parts to intiate a formal communication line (Vortex, AD's, confering with the manufacter,test flying,etc..) to "brain storm and address" industry problems like "Hydrulic issues". 4961, 407, as well as all the guys that fly it at my place of employment who are" working and have worked" these various models BA, B1,B2, raise some very interesting points, I personally hold all of these indivduals with the highest regard. This "mystry problem "should be addressed before another "unfoutnate" incident or accident occurs, and we as indusrty "Engineers,Pilots, and Operators" are left guessing, rather than working the problem. As pilot I thought we were all taught this form of thinking from day 1 of the " white knuckled, sweat hover", as pointed out earlier in this forum" Helicopters don't fix themselves". Hopefully "we" can provide our people with the right training required to operate and maintain these Helicopters safely. Unfortunatly we have to wait on the manufacter to recognize and intiate the first step to rectifying the problem, otherwise we will constantly be dealing with "knee-jerk reactions" from regulatory bodies and feel like we have been given front row seats to yet another impending disaster.
This picture was not due to Hydrulics, but snow ingestion. However you get the point that "we" need to work the problem from both ends.
Again, this only my humble opinion. B)
Cheers, BD6.
:blink: 
