Tail Rotor — Blades — Inspection
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of EC135 and EC635 helicopters must inspect affected tail rotor blades within the specified compliance times based on flight hours or within 18 months from 31 December 2020, whichever occurs first. Any blade found to be Category B must be replaced before the next flight. From the effective date, no rework, repair, or modification is allowed on the critical blade root area, and only serviceable parts may be installed.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0282 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency concerning the inspection of tail rotor blades on Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH EC135 and EC635 helicopter models. The directive applies to specific tail rotor blade part numbers and requires a one-time dimensional inspection to detect geometrical non-conformities in the blade root section. It aims to ensure continued airworthiness and prevent potential blade failure that could lead to loss of helicopter control.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0282 introduces a mandatory one-time inspection of affected tail rotor blades on EC135 and EC635 helicopters to identify and address geometrical non-conformities. It prohibits any rework, repair, or modification of the affected blade root area and requires replacement of blades classified as Category B following inspection. This is a new directive and does not supersede any previous ADs.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk identified after an accident investigation involving tail rotor blade defects. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to prevent potential blade failure and ensure helicopter flight safety. Compliance with the inspection and replacement requirements is essential to maintain regulatory approval for aircraft operation.
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- EASA AD 2026-0024
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