Patent Pending

Operating Instructions

Bell 407/427 Main Rotor Blade Folding KitBy

Paravion�

ACTUAL VIDEOFROMEV-275

ParavionTechnology

Inc.

2001 Airway Avenue

Fort Collins, Colorado 80524USA

R

Bell 407/427 Main Rotor Blade Folding Kit

Required Pre-installed Equipment

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Expandable blade bolts (Bell Helicopter Part Number 406-310-103-103 must beinstalled in the trailing edge of two opposing blades. It is suggested that the twoblades directly over the swashplate drive links be chosen for the expandable bolts.

(NOTE: This is in contrast to the Bell 407 Maintenance Manual. You must choose the

trailing edge of opposing blades when using Paravion Blade Fold Kit.)

Paravion Blade Fold Hardware Kit P/N 407BF-100 OR 427BF-100 must beinstalled on the aircraft per FAA STC SR00411DE (407) or per FAA STC SR00472DE(427).

For ease of alignment of the blades during the unfolding process, alignment stripesshould be painted on the root and grip of each foldable blade as shown on page 8 ofthis manual.

The provided yellow CAUTION label informing the pilot of the installation of the bladefold kit must be displayed in the cockpit in plain view of the pilot.

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CONTENTS May 24, 2002

SUBJECT

Folding the Main Rotor Blades

Unfolding the Main Rotor Blades

1 thru 7

8 thru 11

PAGES

NOTE

Because the use of the Main Rotor Blade Fold Kit requires theremoval and replacement of critical hardware, the user must be approved bythe local governing agency to perform this task.

Paravion�

ACTUAL VIDEOFROMEV-275

ParavionTechnology

Inc.2001 Airway Avenue

Fort Collins, Colorado 80524USA

R

Phone 970-224-3898

FAX 970-224-3899

www.paravion.com

Patent Pending

Forward BladeSupport

Rear BladeSupport

SupportStrut

Blade SupportRope

E-mail: paravion@paravion.com

1Installing the BladeFolding Kit and Foldingthe Main Rotor Blades

Remove the Blade Handling Barfrom the carrying case.

It is necessary to properly alignthe main rotor blades prior toinstalling the Blade Supports.Accomplish this by selecting aconvenient blade and

epress thespring on the Bar by pullingdownward. R

insertingthe hook on the Blade HandlingBar into the hole in the tab at theend of the blade. D

otate the rotorsystem until the two blades withremovable attachment pins aredirectly forward and aft over thehelicopter fuselage.

NOTEA spring has been incorporatedinto the Blade Handling Bar hookto prevent the bar from beinginadvertently left on the end of theblade.

Remove the Blade Handling Barfrom the blade.

NOTEThe Paravion Blade Fold Kit is nota blade tie down kit. It may beused in conjunction with BellHelicopter’s Blade Tie-Downs inwindy conditions. The Blade FoldKit is not to be used in windconditions in excess of 50 knots.

2Remove the Rear Blade Supportand Support Strut from the bagand slide the tubes together end-to-end to form the assemblies.

Pull each of the knobs back androtate into a slot to tighten theinternal restraining cord.

Connect the Support Strut rodend to the Blade Supportassembly’s upper clevis using theattached quick release pin.

3Install the Rear Blade Support bypositioning it over the horizontalstabilizer and tilting it forward.

eeping it clear of the mainrotor blade, insert the quickrelease pins into the clevises andsupport brackets at the leadingedge of the stabilizer.

While k

Rotate the Blade Support up andrearward until the Support Strutclevis aligns with the SupportStrut bracket located at the rear ofthe horizontal stabilizer andattach using the provided quickrelease pin.

The aft blade should now besupported. Loop safety strap overtop of blade and snap endstogether.

4Remove the Forward BladeSupport from the bag and slide thetubes together end-to-end to formthe assembly.

Place the roller end of the BladeSupport on the ground and alignthe opposite end with the attachfittings located near the landinglight. Use the two quick releasepins to attach the Support to thefittings.

5

Attach the snap that slides freelyon the Forward Blade Supportrope to the bracket located at thecenter of the wind screen.

Rotate the forward Blade Supportup and under the main rotorblade. Secure by attaching thesnap on the end of the rope to theclevis located at the mid-point ofthe Support Assembly. Loopsafety strap over top of blade andsnap ends together.

6Remove the expansion boltsattaching the trailing edge of thetwo supported main rotor bladesby removing the safety pin androtating the bolt handle up tovertical and then pulling the boltupward.

Insert the hook on the BladeHandling Bar into the hole in thetab at the outboard end of themain rotor blade on the left side ofthe aircraft. It will be necessary topull down slightly to depress thespring, allowing the hook toengage.

For storage of the expansion bolts,gently slide each bolt into the holein the adjacent swashplate drivelink and swing the handle over thetop and away from the cowling.

Rotate the blade toward the fronto f the aircra f t to wi th inapproximately eight inches of theForward Blade Support.

WARNINGCare must be taken to not damagethe swashplate drive links wheninserting or removing theexpansion bolts.

7To prevent the blades fromcontacting each other, attach theBlade Handling Bar to the tabs atthe outboard end of the twoforward blades using the quickrelease pins and clevis fittingslocated at each end of the bar.

WARNINGThe Blade Folding Kit is notdesigned to be used to restrain theblades in windy or pitchingc o n d i t i o n s . T o

the Bell supplied blade tiedowns must be installed inconjunction with the folding kit. Itis necessary to modify two of theboots to allow exposure of theblade tip tabs for the attachmentof the Blade Handling Bar.

p r e v e n tuncontrolled flapping of theblades,

The helicopter may now be movedusing normal methods.

8Unfolding the main rotorblades and removing theBlade Fold Kit.

Remove the Blade Handling Barfrom the blade and place it into thecarrying bag.

Rotate the blade toward the backof the helicopter until the lines onthe root end of the blade and theblade grip are aligned.

Remove the Blade Handling Barfrom the two forward main rotorblades by removing the two quickrelease pins.

Insert the hook on the BladeHandling Bar into the hole in thetab at the outboard end of theforward unsupported main rotorblade. It will be necessary to pulldown slightly to depress thespring, allowing the hook toengage.

9

Remove the Forward BladeSupport by releasing the supportrope, lowering the support to theground, disconnecting the slidingsnap at the center of thewindscreen, and removing thequick release pins near theaircraft landing light.

Remove an expansion bolt from itsstorage place in the swashplatedrive link. With the bolt handle inthe full open position, insert thebolt into the grip and blade root.Insure that the notch in the bolthead aligns with the small pin onthe upper face of the grip.

WARNINGCare must be taken to not damagethe swashplate drive links wheninserting or removing theexpansion bolts.

Rotate the handle down aroundthe trailing edge of the blade andsnap it over the end of theexpansion bolt. Safety the handleby inserting the safety pin throughthe small hole in the end if theexpansion bolt and snapping thepin closed.

Repeat this process on the otherblade.

NOTEUse 50-75 lbs. (222-334N) closingforce as measured at the end of thehandle to secure expandable bolt( R e f e r e n c e B e l l 4 0 7 / 4 2 7Maintenance Manual).

10

Remove the Rear Blade Supportby removing the quick release pinfrom the Support Strut attachingpoint at the rear of the stabilizerand leaning the Blade Supportforward until it no longer contactsthe blade. Remove the two quickrelease pins from the base and liftthe assembly clear of thetailboom.

Fold the Forward Blade Supportby pulling the joints apart andfolding each section back to theadjoining section. Use the hookand loop straps to secure thefolded assembly.

Place the folded assembly into thecarrying bag.

11

Place the Rear Blade Support andthe Support Strut into thecarrying bag. Zip the bag closedand store as desired.

Remove the Support Strut fromthe Rear Blade Support byremoving the quick release pin atthe upper end of the Strut.

Release the tension on theinternal restraining cord of each ofthe three tubes by pulling theknob back, rotating it into the longslot, and sliding it forward.

Fold the Support Strut and BladeSupport by pulling each of thejoints apart and folding eachsection back to the adjoiningsection. Use the hook and loopstraps to secure the foldedassemblies.

NOTEPrior to starting the helicopter,insure that all parts of the BladeFolding Kit are removed and theblade expansion bolts are

installed.properly//////////////////////////////////

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