Unique Engineering Solutions
Safety
The Enstrom 480B traces it’s lineage back to the Enstrom TH-28, an advanced training helicopter designed for the U.S. Army. Hence, safety was of utmost importance in the design of the helicopter. The 480B’s airframe is rugged and built to handle repeated use. It starts with a heavy duty oleo-strut landing gear that will compress to absorb excessive landing loads. The landing gear also has extra bracing for sideways and run-on landings. The landing gear bolts to a welded steel “pylon” that houses the engine, fuel cells, and transmission.
A thick firewall separates these components from the composite cockpit. The cockpit floor is made up of a number of crushable keel beams. Along with the seats, these beams are designed to deform in the event of a serious accident, absorbing the load and cushioning the pilots. FAR 27 approved 4-point inertial reel restraints strike the perfect balance between comfort and Safety.
The Enstrom 480B has exceptional autorotational capabilities, with a conservative descent rate of 1400fpm on a standard day. In the event of an engine failure, the pilot has ample to time to lower the collective. This is due to the 480B’s high-inertia main rotor system which provides more than sufficient stored energy for safe uneventful autorotations. The 480B has one of the lowest accident rates in the world.
