Superseded by TCCA Emergency AD CF-2025-29
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of Bell Model 429 helicopters must perform a visual inspection of the tail rotor blade anti-abrasion strips before the next flight after March 25, 2024, and mark inspected blades accordingly. If cracks are found, the affected blades must be replaced before further flight. Subsequent inspections are required before each engine start and at intervals not exceeding 25 flight hours. Limited non-commercial ferry flights are permitted only under specific conditions if immediate repairs cannot be made.
Summary
The Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2024-11 is an urgent airworthiness directive affecting Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 429 helicopters with serial numbers 57001 and above. It addresses cracking in the anti-abrasion strips of the tail rotor blades, which could lead to catastrophic failure of the tail rotor and loss of directional thrust during critical flight phases. The directive mandates inspections, marking, and potential replacement of affected tail rotor blades to ensure continued airworthiness.
What changed
This new directive introduces mandatory visual inspections and marking of the tail rotor blade anti-abrasion strips to detect cracks. It requires immediate inspection before the next flight after the effective date and ongoing inspections at specified intervals until a final corrective action is determined. It also allows limited non-commercial ferry flights under strict conditions if immediate repairs are not possible.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because undetected cracks in the tail rotor blade anti-abrasion strips can cause severe mechanical failures leading to loss of control. Operators and maintenance teams must implement these inspections to prevent accidents and ensure compliance with Canadian aviation regulations. Failure to comply could result in grounding of affected helicopters and increased safety risks.
More for Bell 429
All 21- EASA AD CF-2026-50Tail Rotor – Tail Rotor Pitch Link Spherical Bearing Missing Hard Coating - InspectionOct 12, 2026
- EASA AD CF-2025-60R1Fuselage — Tail Rotor Gearbox Support Assembly to Tailboom Attachment Discrepant RivetsFeb 4, 2026
- EASA AD CF-2025-64Doors — Sliding Door Lower Roller disengagementDec 9, 2025
- EASA AD 2015-0226R8Equipment / Furnishings — Hoist — Test / ReplacementJul 16, 2025
- EASA SIB CASA-2025-08Low Torque on Transmission Mounted Bellcranks
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