Rotors Flight Control – Tail Rotor Gearbox Actuating Rod – Inspection
Superseded. Comply with 2019-0060, which replaces this document.
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators must perform a dye penetrant inspection of affected tail rotor gearbox actuating rods within 165 flight hours or 13 months from 3 January 2019, whichever occurs first. If cracks are found, the affected parts must be replaced before further flight. Additionally, any replacement involving certain part numbers requires further inspection to ensure proper bearing interface. Inspection results must be reported to Airbus Helicopters within 30 days.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2018-0287 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting Airbus Helicopters AS 350 and AS 355 models. It addresses a safety concern involving the tail rotor gearbox actuating rods, which may suffer structural failure due to material defects and micro cracks. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions to ensure continued safe operation of these helicopters.
What changed
This directive introduces a one-time dye penetrant inspection requirement for specific tail rotor gearbox actuating rods on AS 350 and AS 355 helicopters. It also requires replacement of any rods found cracked and additional checks when certain part numbers are replaced. The directive is an interim safety measure pending further action.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because failure of the tail rotor actuating rod can lead to loss of yaw control, posing a serious safety risk. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to prevent potential accidents and ensure regulatory compliance. It also affects parts installation policies and requires reporting inspection results to Airbus Helicopters.
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