AS 350 B3

Initial Pilot Ground School

Chapter 2
Structure
 2 - STRUCTURE

2.1. GENERAL
2.1.1. STRUCTURAL SUBASSEMBLIES
2.1.2. DIMENSIONS OF ACCESS DOORS AND PANELS
2.1.3. USABLE AREAS AND VOLUMES – PERMISSIBLE FLOOR LAODS
2.2. BODY ST RUCURE
2.3. REAR ST RUCT URE
2.4. CANOPY
2.5. BOTT OM ST RUCURE AND CABIN FL OOR
2.6. T AIL BOO M
2.6.1. EFFECT OF STRAKE ON TAIL BOOM
2.7. T AIL UNIT
2.7.1. HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND FINS
2.7.2. HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WITH TRIM STRIP
2.7.3. DORSAL AND VENTRAL FINS
2.8. DOORS
2.8.1. CABIN DOOR JETTISON SYSTEM
2.8.2. LOCKING INDICATORS FOR SIDE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENTS DOORS
2.9. COWLINGS, F AIRING S, BULKHEADS
2.10. SKID T YPE L ANDING G EAR
2.10.1. GENERAL – ASSEMBLY OF LANDING GEAR
2.10.2. LANDING GEAR FITTINGS
2.10.3. LANDING GEAR SHOCK ABSORBERS
2.10.4. GROUND RESONANCE AND FUNCTION OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS
2.1
2.1 - GENERAL
2.1.1. STRUCTURAL SUBASSEMBLIES

2.2
2.1.2. DIMENSIONS OF ACCESS DOORS AND PANELS

53 inches

Width = 20 inches Width = 51 inches Width = 43 inches

Width = 43 inches
Height = 43 inches Height = 30 inches Height = 24 inches
Height = 43 inches

2.3
2.1.3. USABLE AREAS AND VOLUMES - PERMISSIBLE FLOOR LOADS

Right
RightSide
Side
Hold
Hold
220 Rear
RearHold
Hold
220 lb.
lb.
(Battery)
(Battery) 176
176 lb.
lb. or
or
143
143 lb.
lb. with
with
A/C
A/C
Pilot

Cabin
CabinFloor
Floor Loading
Loading
123 Left
LeftSide
123 lb.
lb. Sq/Ft.
Sq/Ft. Side
11 Hold
Hold
11 Tiedown
Tiedown Points
Points
264
264 lb.
lb. 2.3
2.2 - BODY STRUCTURE

The main structure

is designed as a
Rigid Hexahedron.

It supports the main transmission

components (MGB and rotor),
landing gear, cabin floor, and
rear structure and encloses the
fuel tank. 2.4
2.2 - BODY STRUCTURE

The body forms a Rigid Box Structure

which is the airframe’s strongest
structure since it directly supports
flight loads and landing loads.

View from underneath the aircraft

2.4
2.3 - REAR STRUCTURE

Consists of 3 frames connected by beams

Top is the stainless steel Engine Deck
Provides attachment point for Tail Boom
Encloses the rear Baggage Compartment
Houses the Electrical Master Box & DECU
2.4
2.4 - CANOPY • 5 piece Polycarbonate Cabin

roof, 3 posts, & reinforced nose.

• 2 types of windscreens :
Lexan -very tough, but will
scratch easily. Clean with soap
and water only.
Plexiglas - not as thick, but it is
very easy to maintain.

2.5
2.5
2.5 - BOTTOM STRUCTURE AND CABIN FLOOR

The bottom structure, supporting the cabin, is

of the cantilever type and forms an extension
of the body structure.

Two beams are riveted to the body structure side beams and
support the forward section of the landing gear cross tube.
2.5
 Cabin Floor

Bottom Structure
2.5
 Cabin Floor
• Flight controls
and wiring
harnesses
run underneath
the cabin floor.

• After installation
or removal of
equipment,
freedom of the
flight controls
should be
checked.
2.5
 2.6 - TAIL BOOM

Drive
Driveshaft
shaftand
and flight
flightcontrols
controls
run
runacross
acrossthe
thetop
top
Circular
Circularframes
frames

31
31Bolts
Bolts attach
attachboom
boom
to
torear
rear structure
structure
2.6
2.6
 Tail Boom Ballast Plates

Ballast plates Tail Cone

may be mounted
inside the tail
cone to correct
c.g. position of
the empty
helicopter. Maximum of 44 lb

2.6
2.7 - TAIL UNIT
Upper Fin - Asymmetrical airfoil
angled 6 degrees to the right. This
unloads the tail rotor in flight and is
effective above 40 kts airspeed.

B3 strip on
Lower Fin is a upper fin
symmetrical
airfoil. It
stabilizes the
helicopter in
forward flight.

2.7
AS 350 B3 has a different exhaust flow and gases that
100 C
are approx. 100 C hotter, therefore a stainless steel
shield was installed over the T/R drive shaft cover to
deflect heat during slow speeds and hovering flight.
This shield protects the hangar bearing beneath it.
2.7
2.7.1. HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WITH TRIM STRIP

2.8
 Horizontal Stabilizer
Check for
Cracks in
doublers
Daylight
should be
visible
above
and
below
Stabilizer
Check for cracking in bulb

During engine acceleration, do not allow NR value

to remain steady between 300 and 320 r.p.m.

2.8
2.8 - DOORS

Hinged
Doors

Sliding
Door

2.9
 Cabin
Doors
Standard
doors include
one large crew
door and one
small cargo
door on each
side.
Aircraft fitted with four standard doors:
VNE is 70 knots for following configuration: 4 doors removed
2 RH doors removed
2 LH doors removed
Any other configuration is prohibited.
Flight Manual - Limitations Section 2.9
 Forward Door Operation
• Standard forward
doors are operated
by a compressed-air,
expansion piston.
The piston opens the
door and maintains
the position.

• Both forward doors

are jettisonable.

2.9
2.8.1. CABIN DOOR JETTISON SYSTEM

Jettison Handle

2.9
 Emergency Jettison

Forward doors can be jettisoned in an emergency by actuation of the

door jettison handle located on the forward lower door post. This
pulls out both hinge pins and neutralizes the door closure lock.
(Normal door removal is also accomplished this way.)
2.9
 Sliding Door Configuration
Sliding doors are
available with:
• One LH slider and
a normal RH door.
• One RH slider and
a normal LH door.
• Both RH and LH
sliders.

The sliding door configuration replaces the forward

door with a short door which is jettisionable.
2.9
 Aircraft fitted with one
or two sliding doors:
(optional equipment)

If all four doors have

been removed, VNE is
limited to 70 knots.

The other authorized

configurations and
corresponding VNE are
summarized in the
tables.

ANY CONFIGURATIONS
NOT MENTIONED ARE
PROHIBITED.

Flight Manual - Limitations Section 2.9

 Panels and Cargo Doors
• Made of reinforced
plastics.

• Belly panels are fitted

with wire cable
attachments for quick
and easy access.

• Care should be taken

when handling doors
and panels.
2.9
 Side Hold Door Operation
• Baggage doors are
constructed from
fiberglass laminates.

• Held in the open

position by a metal
rod.

• Side hold doors are

equipped with locks
which use the
helicopter door keys.

2.9
 Locks and Indicators
Front Lock
Central Lock

DOOR
DOOR

2.10
 DOOR
DOOR

One or
One or both
both baggage
baggage hold
hold side
side doors
doors unlocked
unlocked

Pilot’s action: Reduce airspeed to 120 kts.

• Check visually that doors are closed. If one or both doors
are open, or if checking is impossible, land if possible, or
continue flight at reduced speed (120 kts or less).
• Descend at a low sink rate and end with a shallow
approach.
Flight Manual - Emergency Procedures Section
2.9 - COWLINGS, FAIRINGS AND BULKHEADS

2.10
2.9 - COWLINGS, FAIRINGS AND BULKHEADS

MGB Cowling
• Main gear box
cowlings are
constructed of
fiberglass laminates.

• Attached to the
aircraft by Dzus
fasteners.
• The cowl can be held
open by a metal rod.

2.10
2.9 - COWLINGS, FAIRINGS AND BULKHEADS

Engine Cowling
• Engine cowls are
constructed of
nomex laminate
and are attached
to the aircraft by
a hinge assembly.

• The cowl can be

held open by a
metal rod.

2.10
 Hartwell Toggle Fasteners
• Engine and MGB
cowling are fastened by
Hartwell fasteners.

• Lower belly panels

incorporate Hartwell
fasteners for panel
attachment.

• Toggles should receive

proper adjustment.
2.10
2.10 - SKID TYPE LANDING GEAR
2.10.1 GENERAL - ASSEMBLY OF LANDING GEAR

2.11
2.10 - SKID TYPE LANDING GEAR
2.10.1 GENERAL - ASSEMBLY OF LANDING GEAR

Shock Absorbers attachment

The landing gear
on 15 degree bulkhead
assembly comprises:
Elastomer
• 1 forward and 1 aft clamps
cross tube - both
are steel.
• 2 Aluminum Alloy
Skids.
• 2 Hydraulic shock
absorbers. Elastomer
Flexible steel
• 2 Flexible steel clamps
spring extensions
spring extensions.

2.11
2.10.3. LANDING GEAR SHOCK ABSORBERS

• 2 Shock absorbers are

fitted to the front cross
tubes, one on each side
of the cabin.
• Top portion is attached to
the front bulkhead and
the bottom is fitted on the
cross tube.
• During preflight look for
oil overflowing down the
sides of the shock
absorber.
2.12
Shock Absorbers

An alignment bolt,
covered with proseal,
keeps the shock from
sliding along the
cross tube.

2.12
2.10.4. GROUND RESONANCE AND FUNCTION OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS

Caution: Prior to flight insure that the skid

assembly is free from all obstructions. 2.13
 Review
Questions
15. What is most of the tail boom and a large
percentage of the body structure made of?

A. Rigidified elastomeric co-polymers

B. Transparent aluminum
C. Composite poly-carbonates
D. Aluminum
Aluminumalloy
alloy
16. What does the rigid box or hexahedron
support?
A. Tail boom extension.
B. Upper canopy and overhead controls.
C. Main
Main Gear
Gear Box
Boxand
andRotor
RotorSystem.
System.
D. It supports nothing.
17. What does the rigid box or hexahedron
contain?
A. Fuel
Fuel tank
tank
B. Alcohol-injection tank
C. All avionics and the spare reserves.
D. The entire push-pull tube system as well as
the hydraulic servos.
18. Frames and a beam support the engine.
They are a part of what structure?

A. Rigid box or hexahedron.

B. The monocoque flat-plane surface.
C. The upper floor extension.
D. Aft
Aft structure.
structure.
19. Where are most of the flight control rods
located?

A. In the “broom closet”.

B. In the overhead structure.
C. Beneath
Beneath the
thehelicopter
helicopterfloor.
floor.
D. There are none. The AS350 Series is
“fly-by-wire”.
20. At how many knots does the asymmetrical
vertical fin begin to off-load the tail rotor?

A. 150 knots
B. 40 knots
knots
C. The vertical fin is symmetrical and does not
ever off-load the tail rotor.
D. 60 knots with a right cross wind and
80 knots with a left cross wind.
21. What does the DOOR light illuminating
on the caution / warning panel indicate?

A. The External Power Unit door is open.

B. One of the front passenger doors is ajar.
C. The mini-bar access door is open.
D. One
One or
or both
bothbaggage
baggagehold
holdside
side
doors
doors
is
unlocked.
is unlocked.
 22. The airframe is attached to the front
and rear cross tubes by clamps. What is
also attached between the airframe and the
front cross tube?
A. Oleo struts.
B. Elastomeric shocks.
C. Epoxy and superglue.
D. A
A hydraulic
hydraulicshock
shockabsorber
absorberonon
each
each
sideside
of
the
of the
fuselage.
fuselage.
23. What items are incorporated into the 350
to prevent the onset of ground resonance?
A. Hydraulic
Hydraulicshocks
shocksforforthethe forward
forward crosstubes,
crosstubes, flexible
flexible crosstubes, crosstubes,
and steel springand
steel spring
extensions onextensions on the
the rear of the reargear.
landing of
the landing gear.
B. Oleo Struts, Hetero-dynamic springs, and
flex-coupling attaching mechanisms.

C. The latest in flexing “pogo-stick” technology

as adapted for helicopters.
D. There is no such thing as ground resonance
on the AS350.
End of Chapter 2
Structure