AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998. The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Bell Helicopter Textron 214 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 214/2 Main Transmission Upper Planetary Carrier 1/2003

Applicability: Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters with main transmission upper planetary carrier, part number (P/N) 214-040-077-007 or -3101 installed.

Requirement: 1. Create a component history card or equivalent record for the carrier, P/N 214- 040-077-007 or -101.

2.        Determine and record the accumulated Retirement Index Number (RIN) to date on the carrier as follows: (if the multiplication results in a fraction, round the results up to the next whole number)

For Model 214B or B-1 helicopters:

1. Multiply the high-power event total to date by 2; or

b.         If the actual operating hours are known; and

1. If the type of operation is internal load lift operations only, multiply each operating hour by 7;

ii.        If the type of operation involves any external load lift operations and the number of external load lift operations is known, use table 1 and multiply the appropriate factor for the average number of external load lift operations by the number of actual operating hours;

iii.     If the type of operation involves any external load lift operations, and the number of external load lift operations is unknown, multiply each actual operating hour by 21; or

iv.      If the type of operation is unknown, multiply each actual operating hour by 21.

c.         If the actual operating hours are unknown:

1. Assume 900 operating hours per calender year. Prorate the assumed operating hours for partial years;

ii.        Calculate the RIN based on the assumed hours and using the criteria specified in requirement b) i through iv, substituting assumed hours for actual operating hours.

Bell Helicopter Textron 214 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 214/2 (continued)

For Model 214ST helicopters:

d.         Multiply the high-power event total to date by 2; or

e.         Multiply the factored flight hour total to-date by 12.

3.        Maintain a count of each lift or take off performed and at appropriate intervals increase the accumulated RIN on the component history card or equivalent as follows:

For Model 214B or B-1 helicopters:

1. Increase the RIN by 1 for each take off;

b.         Increase the RIN by 1 for each external load lift operation; or

c.         Increase the RIN by 2 for each external load lift operation in which the load is picked up at a higher elevation and released at a lower elevation, and the difference in elevation between the pick up and the release point is 200 feet or greater.

For Model 214ST helicopters:

1. Increase the RIN by 2 for each take off;

b.         Increase the RIN by 2 for each external load lift operation; or

c.         Increase the RIN by 4 for each external load lift operation in which the load is picked up at a higher elevation and released at a lower elevation, and the difference in elevation between the pick up and the release point is 200 feet or greater.

4.        Remove the carrier P/N 214-040-077-007 or -101 from service.

Bell Helicopter Textron 214 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 214/2 (continued)

Table 1.

Note 1: FAA AD 97-15-04 refers.

Note 2: BHTI Alert Service Bulletin 214-94-52 refers to this subject.

Compliance: 1. Unless previously accomplished within 25 flight hours from the effective date of this Directive.

2.        Unless previously accomplished within 25 flight hours from the effective date of this Directive.

3.        At the completion of Requirement 1 and 2 of this Directive.

4.        On or before the carrier reaches a RIN of 120,000.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 23 January 2003.

Bell Helicopter Textron 214 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 214/2 (continued)

Background: This Directive has been raised to provide a procedure for calculating the retirement life for the main transmission upper planetary carrier. The procedure detailed takes into account various conditions the helicopter may operate under and applies factoring to allow for those various conditions.

James Coyne

Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 29 November 2002

The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 18 December 2002.