Main Rotor — Hydraulic Damper / Belt Tension Shaft Rod End Assembly — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
- Replaces
- 2018-0067
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected Enstrom F-28, 280, and 480 helicopters must perform initial and repetitive inspections of the specified rod end bearing assemblies within 100 flight hours or at the next annual inspection, whichever occurs first. For Model 280C helicopters with over 80 flight hours or 10 months since the last inspection, the first inspection must be done within 20 flight hours or 2 months after the directive's effective date. If corrosion is detected, the affected part must be replaced before further flight. Inspection results must be reported to Enstrom Product Support within 30 days. Installation of affected parts is allowed only if new or inspected and found free of corrosion.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0286 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency concerning Enstrom Helicopter Corporation models F-28, 280, and 480 helicopters. It mandates inspections of the main rotor hydraulic damper and belt tension shaft rod end bearing assemblies to detect corrosion and prevent potential failure. The directive applies to all serial numbers of the specified helicopter models and references specific part numbers for affected components.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0286 supersedes the previous AD 2018-0067 and expands the applicability to include the Model 280C helicopter, which was previously omitted. It retains the requirement for repetitive inspections of affected parts every 100 flight hours or during annual inspections and mandates replacement if corrosion is found. The directive also aligns with FAA AD 2017-26-03 but introduces repetitive inspections not currently required by the FAA.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because corrosion in the rod end bearing assemblies can lead to cracks, failure of the rod end, loss of a main rotor blade, and potentially catastrophic loss of helicopter control. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft airworthiness and safety. The directive also requires reporting inspection results, which supports ongoing safety monitoring and regulatory oversight.
More for Enstrom Helicopter Corporation 280
All 5- EASA AD 2018-0067Main Rotor – Hydraulic Damper / Belt Tension Shaft Rod End Assembly – InspectionMar 23, 2018
- EASA AD 2016-0221-CNCANCELLED: Main Rotor — Main Rotor Spindle — InspectionJan 24, 2018
- EASA AD US-2018-02-01Main Rotor — Main Rotor Spindle — Recurring InspectionJan 24, 2018
- EASA AD US-2017-26-03Main Rotor - Rod End Bearing Assemblies - InspectionDec 21, 2017
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