EASA AD 2023-0161
SUPERSEDED BY EASA AD 2025-0090
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2023-0161 is an airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency affecting all Leonardo AW189 helicopters equipped with either General Electric CT7-2E1 or SAFRAN ANETO-1K engines. It mandates compliance with updated airworthiness limitations and maintenance tasks as specified in the latest Leonardo AW189 Air Vehicle Maintenance Planning Information documents. This directive ensures continued airworthiness by enforcing mandatory maintenance and life limits for components on these helicopters.
What Changed
EASA AD 2023-0161 supersedes the previous AD 2022-0177 and introduces new and/or more restrictive maintenance tasks and life limitations for Leonardo AW189 helicopters. These changes are reflected in the updated Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) documents issued by Leonardo, which include reduced thresholds and intervals for certain tasks and component replacements. The directive requires operators to revise their approved Aircraft Maintenance Programme (AMP) to incorporate these updated limitations and tasks.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it mandates updated maintenance requirements that directly impact the safety and airworthiness of Leonardo AW189 helicopters. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams must ensure adherence to these revised tasks and life limits to prevent unsafe conditions. Failure to comply could lead to unsafe operations and regulatory non-compliance, affecting aircraft availability and operational safety.
What To Do
Affected operators must replace components before exceeding their updated life limits and perform all maintenance tasks within the specified thresholds and intervals as outlined in the latest ALS documents. They must revise their approved Aircraft Maintenance Programme within 12 months from the effective date of 30 August 2023 to include these new requirements. Any discrepancies found during maintenance must be corrected according to Leonardo's instructions before the next flight, or with approved alternative instructions if necessary.
AI-generated summary from official EASA source document. Always verify against the original.