Helicopter
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 121; Flight Crew Total 1434; Flight Crew Type 1172
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
During a tour in ZZZ; at straight and level flight on my way to the landing zone; the helicopter seemed to be operating with reduced power when at max continuous power (MCP). Please keep in mind that during my preflight inspection of the helicopter in the morning; before conducting tours; I noticed no visible abnormalities. There was no low rotor RPM condition and no visible change in RPM throughout the tour. I noticed that with 2 passenger flights; earlier in the day; I was able to maintain MCP and 100 KIAS. Then; at the time of the occurrence; I noticed that with relatively the same weight in another 2 passenger flight that I was only able to maintain MCP and fly at 80 KIAS without decreasing in altitude. Given the 20 knot loss; I felt I should shut down prior to taking any more flights and just give the engine a once-over. Upon my inspection; I noticed oil spray over the engine on the helicopter's right side and some on the firewall. As a pilot; I felt at that point I needed to call our maintenance guy to give me his opinion on the situation. Our maintenance guy is also the Chief Pilot and Primary Manager of the company. He instructed me not to sell or take up any other flights with passengers. He then proceeded to tell me to fly the helicopter to ZZZ for him to come inspect it and make necessary repairs. Given the amount of oil I started with during pre-flight and the amount of oil in the engine after 2 hours of run time (the difference was 1.5 quarts burned; 8 quarts in the morning and 6.5 in the engine at the time of shutdown and pilot inspection) I felt I was within limits to fly the helicopter not even 5 minutes from the landing zone to Company at ZZZ. There was no oil light illumination in flight during that time or any time during tours. Both the oil temperature and oil pressure gauges were in the green. There has been a cracked cylinder on this helicopter before which resulted in reduced power as well. Given that; in my experience as a pilot; I believed this to be another cracked cylinder or maybe even a bad valve. I felt that my flight back to the airport was within limits. I topped off the oil; performed a power check and a magneto check prior to takeoff from the landing zone. I made my call to Tower; lifted off from the landing zone; flew my .03 flight over to Company; shutdown; and left back to ZZZ1 for Maintenance to handle it. This is the facts from my perspective; from what I was experiencing; to what I was told from Maintenance/Management; and how it was handled.
Pilot reported after discovering a serious engine oil leak; he was directed to fly to another airport so it could be fixed; instead of getting a ferry permit.