Hole drilling elastically deformed superalloy turbine blade

A method, comprising:

• coupling a protective member to a first portion of a superalloy turbine blade;
• applying a force to the protective member to elastically deform at least a second portion of a superalloy turbine blade from a relaxed, initial position to an elastically deformed position, the at least a second portion of the superalloy turbine blade having a curvature in the elastically deformed position not present in the relaxed, initial position;
• drilling a hole, using shaped tube electrolytic machining (STEM), generally span-wise through the at least a second portion of the superalloy turbine blade in the elastically deformed position;
• and
• releasing the force, allowing the superalloy turbine blade to return to the relaxed, initial position and the hole to take on a hole curvature within the at least a portion of the superalloy turbine blade.