Landing Gear — Forward Crosstube — New Airworthiness Limitation
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Affected operators must update their maintenance documentation to include revision 12 of chapter 4 of the ICA-D212-664 by Dart Aerospace, which sets the new 20,000 landing life limit. Any forward crosstube part number D212-664-101/-101B with more than 20,000 landings must be removed from service within 30 days of the directive's effective date, August 26, 2022. Using later approved revisions of the maintenance limits is also acceptable for compliance.
Summary
The Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2022-46 addresses the landing gear forward crosstube on Bell Textron Inc. helicopters models 204B, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 214B, 214B-1, 412, 412 CF, and 412 EP modified with Dart Aerospace Ltd. forward crosstube part number D212-664-101/-101B. This directive introduces a new airworthiness limitation concerning the fatigue life of the forward crosstube to enhance safety. It mandates compliance with updated maintenance instructions to prevent structural failure during landing.
What changed
CF-2022-46 introduces a mandatory airworthiness limitation that sets a maximum fatigue life of 20,000 landings for the Dart Aerospace forward crosstube part number D212-664-101/-101B. The directive requires updating the maintenance instructions to revision 12 of chapter 4 in the ICA-D212-664 document, which includes this new life limit. It also mandates removal from service of any crosstube exceeding this landing count.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it addresses a safety risk identified from two in-service failures caused by fatigue cracking of the forward crosstube on Bell 412 helicopters. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to prevent potential structural failure during landing, which could lead to significant airframe damage and occupant injury. Adhering to the new life limits ensures continued airworthiness and regulatory compliance.
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