Saw this guy parked at a place I was passing by. Neat machine. I can't get over watching it fly. Wish I would have had my video camera at the ready when I saw him later working along a ridge.

Interesting. I've seen them before but never noticed the 'bladerons'.

So many aerodynamic question suddenly pop up:
Translating tendency?
dissymmetry of lift?
Retreating blade stall?

Blade-erons? Is that a rigid rotor?

I'm no helicopter guru.... but I'll take a stab at it.*

No translating tendencies, because there is no tail rotor and the masts are at opposing angles so they cancel each other out. In a hover, blade angles should be nearly equal.

Dissymmetry of lift is the same as any helicopter, as is retreating blade stall. The rotors don't know if the are horizontal or angled--look at a tail rotor and how it deals with the same. The only difference is is localized disturbances from the other rotor, which is why--I imagine--they put the retreating blades outboard.

Definitely a fully-articulated head; look at the blades relative to each other in the middle photo... lead lag hinges. According to Wikipedia, they have wooden spars too.....

*I may have no idea what I am talking about.

I'm not a chinook guy, but I was told the tandom rotor guys don't have retreating blade stall issues because of the counter rotation.
Labrador and Phrog guys might also know? They also have "thrust" rather than a "collective", or something like that. But they're weird folks.

The Jetranger(only helo I've flown) has translating tendency (in addition to the tail rotor) because of cyclic rigging.
The tail rotor has some major issues while hovering flight, and crosswind angles. Rotor downwash, weather veining and tail rotor cavitation will cause loss of effectiveness from 120*-330* ish.

I was asked today whether the tail rotor flaps while it feathers or feathers while it flaps. "Who cares?" was the wrong answer.

Looking at the 2nd photo I can see the lead-lag hinges.

I imagine this to rattle your teeth out until you pull pitch, and start to fly, at which point it can probably sling load the earth and then some.
I saw it once in San Diego during a fire season years ago. But that was back when I though rotors were for pansies.

Ive seen it at ZVL, it can be controlled unmanned with a playstation control, pretty freakin cool

Ive seen it at ZVL, it can be controlled unmanned with a playstation control, pretty freakin cool

I would be quite surprised if that aircraft was set up for remote control operation. ZVL is the main office for that Company. Use to work for them.
The "bladerons" is what gives your pitch angle on the blades. This aircraft was specifically built for external load operations.
2 guys standing right underneath the aircraft while it is hovering could have a regular conversation at a regular tone level, barely any noise, just the "swish swish" of the blades as they go by but as soon as you move to the side of it the noise from the turbine (T53) kicks in.

JD