Airworthiness DirectiveEASA AD 2020-0187

Tail Rotor — Blades — Inspection

Published: Aug 21, 2020
Effective: Sep 4, 2020
Deadline: Sep 4, 2020

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What to do

Operators must perform cleaning, inspections, and dimensional checks of affected tail rotor blades within specified flight hour limits or timeframes, starting before 1,550 flight hours or within 12 months of the directive's effective date for Group 1 parts, and within 50 flight hours for Group 2 parts. Any cracked blades must be replaced before next flight, and corrective actions must follow the criteria outlined in the directive. Rework or repair of the critical blade area is prohibited from the effective date.

Summary

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0187 is an airworthiness directive addressing the inspection of tail rotor blades on Airbus Helicopters EC 130 B4 and EC 130 T2 models. It mandates inspections and dimensional checks of specific forged tail rotor blades with part numbers 350A33-3002-02 through 350A33-3002-05 to detect fatigue cracks and ensure continued airworthiness. The directive also prohibits rework or repair of affected blade areas and requires replacement or corrective actions based on inspection results.

What changed

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0187 introduces mandatory one-time and repetitive inspections, dimensional checks, and corrective actions for forged tail rotor blades on EC 130 B4 and T2 helicopters. It establishes new compliance requirements for inspection intervals, replacement criteria, and prohibits any rework or modification in the critical draining hole area of the blades. This is a new regulation addressing an identified unsafe condition following an accident.

Why it matters

This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk involving fatigue cracks in tail rotor blades that could lead to loss of helicopter control. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to prevent potential accidents and ensure regulatory compliance. The directive impacts maintenance planning, parts management, and inspection procedures for affected EC 130 helicopters.

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