Tail Rotor — Tail Rotor Duplex Bearing Housing and Slider Group Assembly — Replacement
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected Leonardo A109 and AW109SP helicopters must replace any affected tail rotor duplex bearing housing and slider group assembly within 100 flight hours or 6 months from 6 June 2023, whichever occurs first. All installations of affected parts are prohibited from the effective date. Maintenance must follow the updated assembly procedures as specified in Leonardo's Alert Service Bulletins.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2023-0105 is an airworthiness directive addressing the tail rotor duplex bearing housing and slider group assembly on Leonardo S.p.A. A109C, A109E, A109K2, A109LUH, A109S, and AW109SP helicopters. It applies to all serial numbers of these helicopter models and focuses on specific tail rotor parts identified by part numbers 109-0130-94-XXX and 109-0130-91-XXX. The directive mandates replacement and updated assembly procedures to ensure continued airworthiness.
What changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces mandatory replacement of affected tail rotor duplex bearing housings and pitch change slider assemblies that have been disassembled and reassembled in service without following updated procedures. It also prohibits installation of affected parts on any helicopter from the effective date. The directive incorporates Leonardo's improved maintenance instructions to reduce human error in assembly.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because failure to comply may result in tail rotor failure, potentially causing loss of helicopter control. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure affected parts are replaced or correctly reassembled to maintain safety and regulatory compliance. It also affects parts installation policies, impacting inventory and maintenance planning.
More for Leonardo S.P.A. Helicopters A109
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- EASA PAD 26-088Tail Rotor Drive – Tail Gear Box and Chip Detector – InspectionJul 23, 2026
- EASA AD 2026-0115Stabilizers – Torque Tube Assembly – InspectionJun 15, 2026
- EASA AD 2026-0045Rotors Flight Control — Collective Stick Torque Tube Assembly — Inspection / Replacement
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