Tail Rotor Drive — Tail Drive Line Rear Shaft and Damper — Inspections
- Published
- Effective
- Replaces
- 2025-0098
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of Airbus Helicopters H160-B must perform repetitive inspections of the tail rotor drive rear shaft and damper within 55 flight hours or 3 months after 13 May 2025 if not previously inspected, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 55 flight hours. Any discrepancies found must be corrected per the Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin instructions, with corrective actions completed before the next flight or within specified compliance times. Replacement of the rear damper may be required within 15 flight hours after the effective date if previously mandated by AD 2025-0098.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2025-0296 is an airworthiness directive affecting all Airbus Helicopters H160-B serial numbers. It mandates inspections of the tail rotor drive line rear shaft and damper components, including specific part numbers such as tail rotor drive shafts P/N U651A1100102 and U651A1100103, rear damper P/N U651A2200103, and damper brackets P/N U535A2121207 and U535A2121208. The directive addresses potential unsafe conditions related to premature wear and contact between the rear shaft and damper.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2025-0296 supersedes the previous AD 2025-0098 by reducing the inspection intervals and compliance times for corrective actions. It introduces additional inspections to detect damper wear particles on the transmission deck and retains the requirement for repetitive inspections and corrective actions as specified in the updated Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin H160-05-00-0004 Issue 002.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals to prevent degradation or loss of function of the tail rotor drive rear damper, which could compromise helicopter safety. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure timely inspections and corrective actions to maintain airworthiness and comply with regulatory requirements. Failure to comply could result in unsafe flight conditions and regulatory penalties.
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