Tech-Center

The Rolls-Royce M250 Engine - Lessons

from the Field
ARTICLE | DECEMBER 1, 2014 - 1:00PM

Helicopter Maintenance magazine(HMM) is four years old! In that short span of time, we have become the
No. 1 helicopter maintenance magazine in the world. Thank you to our readers and the fantastic companies
that take the time and effort to do an article with us. We hope that you will continue to support us with your
readership and articles as we continue to grow. For this birthday moment, and for many requests we have
received, we are going to take a trip down memory lane.

The Rolls-Royce M250 Turboshaft engine is one of the more populous engines in the helicopter industry.
One of our earliest articles was on this engine and we are bringing it back for those who have requested it,
and for those who never saw it as they did not know about us at that time. The following interview is with
the team at Premier Turbines (PT).

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For more than 40 years, Premier Turbines has been a leading provider of repair and overhaul services for
business, general aviation, government and military turbine engines, components and accessories. They are
also a world-leading authorized maintenance center (AMROC) for Rolls-Royce M250 engines and a
member of the M250 FIRST network.

HMM Before we get into the details of this article, how about starting us off with some general
background information?

PT The Rolls-Royce 250/T63 Turboshaft Engine was originally designed in June 1958 to meet military
requirements for a 250 shp engine for light observation aircraft. Out of that program, several helicopter
manufacturers were asked to look into the feasibility of adapting this engine for helicopter use. From this
beginning, the M250 engine grew to where it is today. The first test flight in a helicopter was in February
1961. Since its inception, the M250 engine has logged more than 200 million flight hours. Over 30,000
engines have been delivered to date, and there are about 14,000 still in service. Today, output shaft
horsepower varies with different models between 420 to 715 shp.

HMM What is the typical time between overhaul (TBO) on the engine?

PT It depends on the model and the series. On the Series 2 engines, the gearbox is on condition, and the
turbine and compressor are both rated at 3,500 hours. Series 4 engines have a compressor that is rated on
condition. The impeller on a Series 4 engine has different life limits depending on the model. The gearbox
is on condition, and the turbine is rated at 2,000 hours TBO on all models except the C40 engine.

HMM With so many flight hours amassed and so many engines still in service, what are some of the
lessons learned in the field by your product support specialists?

PT One of the problem areas we still find that has a large cost impact to the operator is maintenance of
the N1 and N2 tach drives. The male and female parts of the tach drives are square and fit together. If the
tach drives are not lubricated properly, the drives lose their squareness from lack of lubrication and become
rounded and slip.

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HMM What procedure would you recommend to eliminate this problem?

PT Following the instructions in the Rolls-Royce 250 operations and maintenance manual (OMM),
lubricate the tach drives as instructed and at the proper intervals. If the N1 and N2 tach drives are
lubricated as called out in the OMM, the reduced wear and tear will prolong engine life and reduce
maintenance costs, as the tach drives cost approximately $6,500 each to replace.

HMM What other inspection items have proven to be a concern?

PT Another lesson learned on the 100-hour inspection is a low torque value on the compressor and
turbine mounting stud nuts. The OMM calls for 80 inch pounds and the mechanics tend to forget to add
the drag torque value on the nuts. When this is added in, the actual torque value is closer to 110 inch
pounds. This ensures the nuts stay tight. The area of concern is where the turbine and gearbox come
together. If the nuts holding the turbine in place are not torqued to the proper value, they vibrate loose and
wear the mounting pads of the turbine. This necessitates the gearbox cover and exhaust collector to be re-
worked back to specification, and is an additional maintenance cost. Just looking at them and saying they
look tight isnt good enough.

Another lesson learned is on the 300-hour inspection of the engine fuel nozzle. The nozzle should be
removed, cleaned and re-installed during the 300-hour inspection. However, if your aircraft has no
airframe fuel filter, it is required to be done at the 100-hour inspection. Depending on the quality of the fuel
that is being used, this may have to be done more frequently.

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Preferred cleaning of the fuel engine nozzle is done with an ultrasonic cleaner. If that is not available, use a
toothbrush to remove the carbon buildup. When carbon is allowed to build up on the fuel nozzle, it can
cause streaks on the combustion chamber walls and liner, which leads to holes in the wall of the liner and
burn holes through the vanes of the first and second stage nozzles. After cleaning, run clean fuel through
the nozzle to make sure that no streaks are visible.

HMM With the Rolls-Royce M250 engine in use in many helicopters operating in salt water
environments, what can an operator do to minimize the problem of corrosion?

PT The gearbox housing, which is made of magnesium, poses a prime risk for helicopters operating in a
salt water environment, and appropriate steps should be employed to keep the helicopter as free from salt
water corrosion as possible. A daily fresh water wash of the compressor is a must to help minimize salt
water corrosion. A down side is that if the fresh water is being supplied through galvanized pipe, impurities
from the pipe can make their way into the engines. If at all possible, a de-mineralized/de-ionized fresh
water source should be used.

Another way to extend engine life is the addition of an airframe air filter. The old engine air particle
separator (EAPS) filters that came with most aircraft did a good job on large particles but not on small
particles. Most of our customers are using the barrier filter from Aerospace Filtration Systems, commonly
known as AFS, with amazing results. This filters out the small particles and reduces erosion on the
compressor blades and vanes, which increases the life of the compressor and maximizes engine output
power.

HMM How about any maintenance tips concerning hot and high operations?

PT Since engine start procedures are affected by altitude and temperature, engine fuel controls should be
adjusted according to seasonal changes in temperature and when operating at higher altitudes. The
automatic adjustment bellows in the fuel controls can only adjust so much, which is why a manual
adjustment should be performed seasonally.

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Another lesson learned is on engine start procedures. Some pilots still push the starter button until they
reach 18 percent N1 speed and then open the throttle. Commercial Service Letter (CSL) 1176 advises to
open the throttle at 12 to 15 percent. This puts less stress on the first stage nozzle and wheel and helps stop
them from burning up.

Last but not least is to reduce gearbox seal leakage with the advent of the new generation synthetic oils.
Before replacing the seal, if you look closely at the shaft where the seal is to be replaced, you will find a
shiny spot where the seal lip has been riding on the shaft. We recommend using Scotch Brite to remove the
shiny spot. This better allows the seal to properly seat itself and minimize leakage and not burn the lip of
the seal.

We hope that you have enjoyed our trip down memory lane and this article. Another special thanks to
Premier Turbines and its Rolls-Royce engine specialists. Let us know if youd like to see an article on a
specific topic.

Rolls-Royce M250 Turbine Engine

Evolution of the M250 Series

Series I

T63-A-5 (civil designation M250-C10), rated @ 317 shp, certified in 1962.

T63-A700 (civil designation M250-C18), rated @ 317 shp, certified in 1965.

Offered full thermodynamic rating structure and improved TBO (750 hrs).

Model 250-B15 turboprop rated @ 317 shp, certified in 1969.

A total of 6,410 Series I turboshafts and 95 Series I turboprops were produced.

Series II

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 M250-C20 (Military T63-A-701), rated @ 400 shp, certified in 1970.

M250-B17 turboprop rated @ 400 shp, certified in 1971.

M250-C20B (Military T63-A-720), rated @ 420 shp, certified in 1974.

M250-B17Bturboprop rated @ 400 shp, certified in 1974. (limited by PRGB)

M250-B17B turboprop rated @ 420 shp, certified in 1979. (improved PRGB)

M250-C20R rated @ 450 shp, certified in 1986, featured improved compressor.

M250-B17F rated @ 450 shp, certified in 1988, featured improved compressor.

Series III

M250-C28 rated @ 500 shp, certified in 1976, featured single stage centrifugal compressor with beefed up
gearbox and turbine airflow improvements.

M250-C28B rated @ 500 shp, certified in 1978, featuring improvements in compressor, combustor and
turbine airflow.

A total of 936 Series III engines were produced.

Series IV

M250-C30 series rated @650 shp, certified in 1978.

M250-C30R (Military T703-A-700), rated @ 650 shp, certified in 1983, featured a electronic supervisory
fuel control system.

M250-C40 and C47 (Military M250-C30R/3), rated @ 650 shp, certified in 1996, features improved
compressor airflow, air cooled turbine nozzle, low smoke combustor and a full authority digital engine
control system (FADEC).