Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-12034 · Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc., Rotorcraft Development Corporation, San Joaquin Helicopters, International Helicopters, Inc., Robinson Air Crane, Inc., Smith Helicopters, Southern Helicopter, Inc., Southwest Florida Aviation International, Tamarack Helicopters, Inc., US Helicopter, Inc., Richards Heavylift Helo, Inc., Hagglund Helicopters, LLC, Overseas Aircraft Support Inc
Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc., Rotorcraft Development Corporation, San Joaquin Helicopters, International Helicopters, Inc., Robinson Air Crane, Inc., Smith Helicopters, Southern Helicopter, Inc., Southwest Florida Aviation International, Tamarack Helicopters, Inc., US Helicopter, Inc., Richards Heavylift Helo, Inc., Hagglund Helicopters, LLC, Overseas Aircraft Support Inc
Superseded. A later AD replaced this one: AD 2002-01-31. Comply with the one in force.
This AD applies to Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc., Rotorcraft Development Corporation, San Joaquin Helicopters, International Helicopters, Inc., Robinson Air Crane, Inc., Smith Helicopters, Southern Helicopter, Inc., Southwest Florida Aviation International, Tamarack Helicopters, Inc., US Helicopter, Inc., Richards Heavylift Helo, Inc., Hagglund Helicopters, LLC, Overseas Aircraft Support Inc UH-1H, UH-1F, HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1L, UH-1P, SW204 (UH-1B), SW204HP (UH-1B), SW205 (UH-1H), SW205A-1, UH-1A.
The models as the FAA's AD index lists them. The serial ranges, installed parts and exceptions are in the AD itself: read it at the FAA.
This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000-22-51, which was sent previously by individual letters to all known U.S. owners and operators of Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P; and Southwest Florida Aviation SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 helicopters manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) for the Armed Forces of the United States. This AD requires establishing a retirement life for certain main rotor masts, creating a component history card or equivalent record, and identifying certain masts as unairworthy. This AD also requires removing the hub spring, if installed, and determining whether a main rotor mast (mast) has ever been installed on a helicopter while operated with a hub spring. Conducting certain inspections based on the retirement index number (RIN) and on whether the helicopter was ever operated with a hub spring is also required.Replacing any mast that has inadequate radius or a burr in the damper clamp splined area is also required. Finally, this AD requires sending information concerning the mast to the FAA. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of a crack in a mast with a lower RIN value than the established life limit. This action is necessary to preclude the occurrence of a fatigue crack in the damper clamp splined area of a mast. This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of a mast or main rotor trunnion (trunnion), separation of the main rotor system, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
