Mike, it’s sort of like; who invented the wheel?
Many people have understood for a very long time that a dotted line in the center of the mast is less than desirable.
But I know of only one mast to have broken without first having rolled over.
An acquaintance, using 6063 as was common in those days, made a mistake in drilling the mast at the seat back on his Bensen and instead of throwing it away, flipped it 90º and drilled a new set of holes.
On a hard landing flare, the mast along with rotor parted company. There was no guy wire.
Many people have understood for a very long time that a dotted line in the center of the mast is less than desirable.
But I know of only one mast to have broken without first having rolled over.
An acquaintance, using 6063 as was common in those days, made a mistake in drilling the mast at the seat back on his Bensen and instead of throwing it away, flipped it 90º and drilled a new set of holes.
On a hard landing flare, the mast along with rotor parted company. There was no guy wire.