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Msg ID: 2810320 Flying in wind +0/-1     
Author:Ec135 V Ec145 eLite
3/20/2024 8:35:45 PM

Our program is looking to swap from an EC135 to the EC145. I have been told that the EC145 eLite is not fun to ride in with high winds or turbulance compared to the EC135.

What changes if any did they Metro make to the eLite that may reduce the 'windy flight' comfort over the EC145 C2?

Is there a difference or maybe my source just flies in an unbalanced eLite?

How about the latest varient of the EC145, is it smother in turbulance?



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Msg ID: 2810323 Flying in wind +5/-1     
Author:Anony
3/20/2024 10:24:02 PM

Reply to: 2810320

It's the rotor head that makes the ride rougher, doesn't matter if it's the c2 or metro's elite (e for economy.) If you are serious about switching to the 145 from a 135 don't let them cheap out and get a elite or any C2, get the latest variant the D3. Just dealing with vartoms issues alone will be enough to make you regret switching after being spoiled on a 135. I wouldn't give up our 135 for a 145 unless it was a d3. 



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Msg ID: 2810325 Flying in wind +5/-1     
Author:145C2e
3/20/2024 10:36:56 PM

Reply to: 2810323
Don't do it. It does better in the wind than a 135. The 135 does fly smoother but I'll take the 145 in high winds over the 135 any day. Your source must not fly them both. The 145c2e comes with many problems besides vartoms. The autopilot is awful and a private pilot could do better. Metro rushed this thing out and Air Methods regrets getting them. Get something with FADEC like the other guy said. H145 or H135. Maybe even a 429. But no C2 or C2e.


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Msg ID: 2810361 Flying in wind +1/-0     
Author:anony
3/21/2024 12:19:32 PM

Reply to: 2810325

I should have clarified, the the 135 is smoother in cruise flight during normal or high winds but yes the 145 is better in the wind during final approach and landing.  That big sail out there on the 135 makes for interesting approaches once you get above 20 knots of crosswind, mainly right crosswinds.  It will do it, I've never hit the stop but it gets a shimmy and when your doing those EMS approaches where the company wants you super slow that means the power is in early and there are times when I'm stuck having a right crosswind that I look down and i swear I'm 1/2 inch from the stop.  The 145 with normal tail rotor and supporting structure doesnt have that same issue.  Now granted I'm only talking about P2+ and older aircraft with the end plates on the horizontal and larger tail bumper/fin.  The newer 135s dont have the end plates and have only a bumper below the fenestron so maybe they do a little better.

And yes there are many other problems with the elite version that you touched on, I at least understood the idea of the VFR version where you strip it down and save a bunch of weight and money but they somehow messed that up.  Then they come up with the IFR version where they take what was already a good IFR platform and take all that out and put their garbage in it vs just leaving it alone.  The down vs up time on these 145s C2 and C2e's is terrible, the e's being worse.  Go ask Umass Lifeflight how they like theirs, the first year i believe it had a 50-60% up time, spare was always there with a brand new C2e broken in the hangar.  With only D3's rolling off the assemble line for the awhile now you have to actively try and find a used C2 or whatever remaining C2e's that Metro has managed to get from Airbus to convert but that will eventually dry up when the airframes stop coming.  Maybe it was last year or two that Metro said they had only 20 left and didnt know what was happening after that.



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Msg ID: 2810379 Flying in wind +0/-5     
Author:Actually
3/21/2024 1:59:02 PM

Reply to: 2810361
The only ones who have a problem with the c2e helisas autopilot are the ones who cant quite remember how to operate the pedals and actually keep the aircraft in trim manually. Thats all ,thats it


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Msg ID: 2810387 Flying in wind +4/-0     
Author:Haha
3/21/2024 3:14:33 PM

Reply to: 2810379
I fly a C2e. You clearly don't or you would know that you just push the yaw damper switch and you can put those feet on the floor in cruise flight. Yes, it is crap and it doesn't keep up with collective inputs on approach so I always turn it off before it kicks off below 40kts. The C2e has a tone of problems.


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Msg ID: 2810474 No more C2E's +0/-0     
Author:anony
3/22/2024 7:13:22 PM

Reply to: 2810387

Well funny we are talking about this because today I saw this from Metro.




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Msg ID: 2810801 Flying in wind +0/-0     
Author:Glad
3/27/2024 10:10:31 AM

Reply to: 2810387

I never had the pleasure.  Didn't even care for the 135, at all.  Too much unnecessary electrical and avionics integration - boring stuff. 

Liked the 350 and 365 from older times. 



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Msg ID: 2810809 Flying in wind +0/-0     
Author:say wut
3/27/2024 10:53:48 AM

Reply to: 2810801

too much integration and it was boring lol



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Msg ID: 2810397 Pro tip: fly it like a helicopter (NT) +0/-0     
Author:Anonymous
3/21/2024 8:26:35 PM

Reply to: 2810361


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