Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-22229 · Fuselage structure
Bell Textron Canada Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited) Helicopters
This AD applies to all Bell Textron Canada Limited (type certificate previously held by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited) Model 407 helicopters, certificated in any category.
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-23-18, AD 2005-03-07, AD 2013-12-07, and AD 2014-04-07, which applied to certain Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (now Bell Textron Canada Limited) Model 407 helicopters. AD 99-23-18 required revising the life limits for certain parts, replacing each part that had exceeded its life limit, and revising the Airworthiness Limitation Section (ALS) of the existing maintenance manual. AD 2005-03-07 required establishing a maximum accumulated Retirement Index Number (RIN) count for certain crosstube assemblies and revising the ALS of the existing maintenance manual. AD 2013-12-07 required inspecting the tailboom assembly for a crack, loose rivet, or other damage and depending on the inspection results, replacing certain parts. AD 2014-04-07 required preflight checking, repetitively inspecting for a crack in certain tailbooms, modifying and re-identifying certain tailbooms, installing an improved horizontal stabilizer assembly, and revising the ALS of the existing maintenance manual. Since the FAA issued those ADs, a report was received of a crack on the tailboom lower skin due to fatigue damage and new and more restrictive airworthiness limitations have been issued. This AD was prompted by a report of a crack on the tailboom lower skin due to fatigue damage and the issuance of new and more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD requires incorporating into existing maintenance records requirements (airworthiness limitations) as specified in the ALS service information. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Within 30 days after the effective date of this AD, incorporate into maintenance records required by 14 CFR 91.417(a)(2) or 135.439(a)(2), as applicable for your helicopter, the requirements (airworthiness limitations) specified in Bell BHT-407-MPI, Chapter 04, Airworthiness Limitations Schedule, Issue 3, dated June 21, 2021, of Bell Model 407 Maintenance Planning Information, PMC-407-97499-01000-00, Issue No. 005, dated July 6, 2022.
After the actions required by paragraph (g) of this AD have been done, no alternative requirements (airworthiness limitations) are allowed unless they are approved as an alternative method of compliance (AMOC) in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (j)(1) of this AD.
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.
