Fuselage — 9° Upper Frame — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
- Replaces
- 2014-0162R1
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators must inspect the upper part of the 9° frame within 75 flight hours after exceeding specified flight hour or cycle thresholds, then continue inspections every 75 flight hours. If cracks are found, repairs must be performed before further flight using approved instructions. Incorporating the specified structural reinforcement modification terminates the inspection requirements. Compliance with these actions is mandatory from the effective date of 5 February 2019.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2014-0162R2 is an updated safety directive addressing inspection requirements for the 9° upper frame on Airbus Helicopters SA 365 and AS 365 models, including SA 365 N, N1, and AS 365 N2 and N3 variants. The directive mandates repetitive inspections to detect cracks in the upper part of the 9° frame to prevent structural failure. It applies to all serial numbers except those with modification 07 53D21 incorporated during production.
What changed
This revision introduces a new service bulletin as a terminating action for the repetitive inspections previously required. It updates the inspection instructions and compliance times based on further analysis and includes structural reinforcement modifications developed by Airbus Helicopters. The directive supersedes the earlier revision 2014-0162R1 and incorporates the latest inspection and repair procedures.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for maintaining the structural integrity of affected Airbus Helicopters models by preventing undetected cracks that could lead to frame failure. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams must adhere to these inspection intervals and corrective actions to ensure continued airworthiness and safety. The introduction of a terminating modification reduces the need for ongoing inspections, potentially lowering maintenance burden and operational downtime.
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