Main Rotor — Blades Thimble — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected MBB-BK 117 helicopters must inspect the main rotor blade thimbles before exceeding specified flight hour thresholds and continue inspections at defined intervals as per the directive. Any detected cracks or anomalies must be corrected before the next flight. The Aircraft Maintenance Programme should be amended to include these inspection requirements, effective from 27 March 2018.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0061 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency affecting Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH MBB-BK 117 helicopter models A-1, A-3, A-4, B-1, B-2, and C-1. This directive mandates inspections of the main rotor blades' thimble to ensure continued airworthiness and safety. It applies to all serial numbers of the specified helicopter models.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0061 introduces reduced inspection thresholds and intervals for the main rotor blade thimble based on a re-investigation of the blade loop area. It requires operators to perform inspections at earlier times and more frequently than previously mandated. The directive also provides detailed compliance times and corrective actions if cracks or anomalies are found.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because failure to comply with the updated inspection intervals may lead to main rotor blade failure, potentially resulting in reduced helicopter control and safety risks. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams must update their maintenance programs to incorporate these new inspection requirements to ensure regulatory compliance and flight safety.
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