>>1935427Blades are extremely expensive. Instead of traditional hub controls, the blades on these are rigid and are cyclically manipulated via the control surface near the tip end of the blade. So the blades are hollow with controls running through them.
Due to their rigid design, metal is out of the picture because it fatigues. Composites might be possible but difficult to expertly balance. So on the KMAX, the blades are wood. Created in a set (both hubs) and perfectly balanced with each other. You cannot mix and match KMAX blades. Each set is about 1 million dollars.
Also, the KMAX is a great heavy lifter but due to having to tail rotor and the hubs being linked via a gearbox (cannot have different torque through each one) pedal controls are via rudders on the tail. Which means it has extremely poor yaw control when in a hover.
So yeah. Very specialized design. Picks up heavy shit real nice but isn't good at what most helicopters need to do. Literally has the worst tail authority of any helicopter.
