Transportation Department Docket FAA-2015-2568 Final Rule

2016-04678: Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter France) Helicopters

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Summary

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-07-52 for certain Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters. AD 2014-07- 52 required repetitively inspecting certain reinforcement angles of the rear structure to tailboom junction frame (reinforcement angles) for a crack at 10 hour time-in-service (TIS) intervals, repairing any cracked reinforcement angle, and allowed an optional repetitive inspection with a 165 hour TIS inspection interval as a terminating action for the 10 hour TIS inspections. This AD retains the inspection requirements of AD 2014-07-52 and requires the inspection of the area around each reinforcement angle screw hole as terminating action to the 10 hour TIS inspections. We are issuing this AD to detect a crack in the reinforcement angle, which if not corrected, could result in loss of the tailboom and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

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