AD/BELL 205/70 - Tail Rotor Blade Fwd Tip Weight Retention Block and Aft Tip Closure

Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/BELL 205/70 on 28 May 2002, published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 19 June 2002. This directive was enacted to address a safety issue identified in the Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters, specifically concerning the tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block and aft tip closure. The directive mandates corrective actions to prevent the potential for missing or damaged components, which could lead to significant damage and loss of control of the aircraft. The AD applies to Model 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters equipped with specific tail rotor blades, requiring inspections and repairs to be carried out within 100 hours of the directive’s effective date of 11 July 2002. The policy objective is to enhance the safety of these aircraft by ensuring the structural integrity of the tail rotor blades.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 targets specific models of Bell Helicopter Textron 205 series helicopters, namely the 205A, 205A-1, and 205B models, which are equipped with certain tail rotor blades. This AD applies to helicopters with specific serial number prefixes or serial numbers, as detailed in the directive. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions to address safety concerns related to the tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block and aft tip closure. The directive applies nationwide within the Commonwealth of Australia, as issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate. The directive becomes effective from 11 July 2002, and the required actions must be completed within 100 hours of time in service after this date, if not already addressed. This directive does not explicitly mention exclusions or exemptions but requires adherence to the outlined actions to ensure the safe operation of the affected helicopters.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under subregulation 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) sets forth critical safety requirements for specific Bell Helicopter Textron 205 Series Helicopters, particularly those identified in the applicability section (1). This AD applies to Model 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters equipped with a tail rotor blade part number 212-010-750-009, -011, -105, -107, -109, or -111, with serial number prefixes ATR or A3, or serial numbers with a prefix A and a number less than or equal to 11529. The directive mandates specific actions to address identified unsafe conditions. The requirements outlined in the directive include inspecting the tail rotor blade forward tip weight retention block and aft tip closure for adhesive bond voids (2(a)). Any blade found to have a void exceeding the limits specified in the Component Repair and Overhaul Manual must be removed. Additionally, the directive requires the inspection of the forward tip weight retention block attachment countersink screws in four specific locations to ensure they are flush with the surface of the abrasion strip (2(b)). If any screw is found to be set below the surface or covered with filler material, shear pins must be installed following the instructions provided in the applicable alert service bulletin. Lastly, the aft tip closure rivets on all affected tail rotor blades must be installed in accordance with the instructions provided in the alert service bulletin (2(c)). Compliance with this AD must be achieved within 100 hours of time in service after the effective date of 11 July 2002, unless the actions have already been completed. The directive becomes effective on the date of its issuance, 11 July 2002. Failure to comply with this AD could result in serious safety implications, including the potential for loss of control of the helicopter due to the detachment of the tail rotor blade, as noted in the background section. The AD imposes several obligations on the parties governed by it. Operators of the specified helicopters must ensure that the inspections and repairs are carried out by qualified personnel and in accordance with the instructions provided in the applicable alert service bulletins. Record-keeping is also a requirement, as operators must document the inspections and any corrective actions taken. These obligations are necessary to maintain the airworthiness of the affected helicopters and to prevent the unsafe conditions identified in the AD from leading to accidents or incidents. Non-compliance with these obligations could result in enforcement actions being taken against the operators by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).