EASA AD 2018-0047-E
Stabilizers — Tail Plane Installation — Modification
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0047-E is an emergency directive addressing the tail plane installation on Leonardo AW189 helicopters. It mandates inspections, modifications, and torque adjustments to the tail plane installation bolts to prevent failures. The directive applies to all serial numbers of the AW189 helicopter model.
What Changed
This new directive introduces mandatory repetitive inspections of the forward tail plane installation bolts, modification of the tail plane installation with an improved design, and torque value adjustments. It also establishes different compliance groups based on previous modifications and requires ongoing torque checks to ensure continued airworthiness.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety issue that could lead to reduced control of the helicopter due to bolt failure. Operators and maintenance teams must comply to prevent in-service failures and ensure the continued safe operation of AW189 helicopters. Compliance ensures adherence to regulatory requirements and avoids grounding of aircraft.
What To Do
Operators of Leonardo AW189 helicopters must perform visual inspections of the tail plane bolts before each flight for Group 1 helicopters, modify the tail plane installation within 100 flight hours or 30 days, and adjust torque values within 10 flight hours for Group 2 helicopters. All helicopters require repetitive torque checks at specified intervals, with corrective actions taken immediately if torque values are out of range.
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