Saving a couple OH-58's

[Tinstar]

Hopefully you mean “flyable” condition.
Flying means airborne.
Get caught flying it, even a low hover, without the required paperwork, etc and you’ll wish you never saw it.

Saw a guy do that with a Huey.
Restored to flyable condition and had almost zero paperwork for work done as it was for “ground only display”.
No AWC, etc.
Idiot hovered it within sight of a US Customs Hanger and the airport control tower.
Aviation is a small community and the whole airport knew what the Huey was intended for.
FAA was there bright and early next morning.
It did not end well for the guy.


Buying a surplus aircraft is cheap.
Getting it flying is very expensive.
Both Flying condition and FAA Airworthiness Certificate is extremely expensive.

You can get a decent BlackHawk Helicopter for under $500K, but you’ll spend millions getting all the inspections and overhauls and replacing timed out components.
Just one main rotor blade is $75,000.
Not one set......1 blade.
Price adds up fast.

 

[SCM35A2]

Now that's awesome!!

 

[Switchessafe]

Nice. I am up near Calhoun Georgia and I am building a oh-58 for static as well. How’s your project going? I would be interested in trading around parts if we can help each other.

 

[helo68]

I'm guessing that 55A spent some time at Rucker as a flight school bird. All the UH-60's I saw there had large numbers like that.

 

[poof]

Hopefully you mean “flyable” condition.
Flying means airborne.
Get caught flying it, even a low hover, without the required paperwork, etc and you’ll wish you never saw it.

Saw a guy do that with a Huey.
Restored to flyable condition and had almost zero paperwork for work done as it was for “ground only display”.
No AWC, etc.
Idiot hovered it within sight of a US Customs Hanger and the airport control tower.
Aviation is a small community and the whole airport knew what the Huey was intended for.
FAA was there bright and early next morning.
It did not end well for the guy.


Buying a surplus aircraft is cheap.
Getting it flying is very expensive.
Both Flying condition and FAA Airworthiness Certificate is extremely expensive.

You can get a decent BlackHawk Helicopter for under $500K, but you’ll spend millions getting all the inspections and overhauls and replacing timed out components.
Just one main rotor blade is $75,000.
Not one set......1 blade.
Price adds up fast.

If he would have just attached a rubber skirt on it and called it a "Hovercraft " ..that's my story and I'm sticking to it..��

 

[Tinstar]

He had his pilots license pulled for two years.
I’m sure he wishes it was a hovercraft.

 

[Ras1]

Just a thought, these things are hard to move around in the shop as they don't have wheels. I have spent lots of time chasing down parts, and found the original ground handling wheels.

They are different than Bell 206, or any other helicopter for that matter, they fit specifically the OH-58, and clip to the skids in seconds. It allows you to move the helicopter around.

I have an extra set if needed.

Dave

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Just a thought, these things are hard to move around in the shop as they don't have wheels. I have spent lots of time chasing down parts, and found the original ground handling wheels.

They are different than Bell 206, or any other helicopter for that matter, they fit specifically the OH-58, and clip to the skids in seconds. It allows you to move the helicopter around.

I have an extra set if needed.

DaveView attachment 764268

Cool.

Seems to be a rare find - and very handy, too.

 

[Tinstar]

Just a thought, these things are hard to move around in the shop as they don't have wheels. I have spent lots of time chasing down parts, and found the original ground handling wheels.

They are different than Bell 206, or any other helicopter for that matter, they fit specifically the OH-58, and clip to the skids in seconds. It allows you to move the helicopter around.
I have an extra set if needed.
Dave

Recommend Replacing the tires and tubes with new ones.

Ground Handling Wheels are often abused and maintenance deprived.
Dry rot tires, no grease and usually low on air.
If one pops, the one right beside usually goes shortly after.

I’ve seen one side blow the tires and cause the Helo to do an almost 90 degree turn, putting the tail boom right into the hanger door.
Threw the guy holding the vertical fin, down like a rag doll.
$80k damage due to old tires that cost less than $100 to replace.

Probably wouldn’t do that to a stripped Hull since it’s so light, but you get
the idea.

Ground Handling Wheels are almost always Helicopter model specific.
Bell 206, 206-L4, 407, etc are all different.
Cannot use one on the other.

That’s why we land on trailers at work.
Then simply jump on tractor and push it inside.
When maintenance is required, the maintenance facility has the correct wheels for each model to get it inside the maintenance hanger.