Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-22512 · Tail rotor blades
Airbus Helicopters
This AD applies to all Airbus Helicopters Model SA341G and SA342J helicopters, certificated in any category.
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-19-08 which applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model SA341G and SA342J helicopters. AD 2022-19-08 was prompted by a report of manufacturing defects on multiple tail rotor blades (TRBs) and required visually inspecting certain part-numbered TRBs for the presence of a linear indication, and, depending on the inspection results, fluorescent penetrant inspecting the TRB and further corrective actions if necessary. AD 2022-19-08 also prohibited installing an affected TRB unless certain requirements had been met. This AD was prompted by the determination that parts that have accumulated more than 500 flight hours (FH) since new are also affected by the unsafe condition. In addition, the defined compliance time for the visual inspection of the root area of each affected part was determined to be too strict. This AD retains certain requirements of AD 2022-19-08, includes all TRBs in the inspection requirements, and increases a compliance time as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA previously sent this AD as an emergency AD to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Except as specified in paragraphs (h) and (i) of this AD: Comply with all required actions and compliance times specified in, and in accordance with, European Union Aviation Safety Agency Emergency AD 2023-0128-E, dated June 26, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0128-E).
(1) Where EASA AD 2023-0128-E requires compliance in terms of flight hours, this AD requires using hours TIS.
(2) Where EASA AD 2023-0128-E refers to its effective date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(3) Where EASA AD 2023-0128-E refers to the effective date of EASA AD 2022-0169-E (dated August 12, 2022), this AD requires using October 3, 2022 (the effective date of AD 2022-19-08).
(4) Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2023-0128-E states, “linear indication,” for the purposes of this AD, a linear indication is any linear indication perpendicular to the grain direction of the blade that is detected regardless of size.
(5) Where paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2023-0128-E states to “accomplish a dye penetrant inspection of the root area of that discrepant part in accordance with the instructions of the ASB,” for this AD replace that text with “perform a fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) of the root area of each affected part that has any linear indication (perpendicular to the grain direction of the blade and regardless of size), in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.B.3. of the ASB. This FPI must be accomplished by a Level II or Level III inspector certified in the FAA-acceptable standards for nondestructive inspection personnel.”
Note 1 to paragraph (h)(5): Advisory Circular 65-31B contains examples of FAA-acceptable Level II and Level III qualification standards criteria for inspection personnel doing nondestructive test inspections.
(6) Where paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0128-E specifies to replace any affected part having a confirmed linear indication with a serviceable part; instead, for this AD, if as a result of the action required by paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2023-0128-E, there is any linear indication (perpendicular to the grain direction of the blade and regardless of size), before further flight, remove the affected TRB from service and replace it with a serviceable part as defined in EASA AD 2023-0128-E.
(7) Where the service information referenced in EASA AD 2023-0128-E specifies to discard the TRB if a linear indication is detected, this AD requires, before further flight, removing that part from service.
(8) Where the service information referenced in EASA AD 2023-0128-E specifies to use tooling, this AD allows the use of equivalent tooling.
(9) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2023-0128-E.
Although the service information referenced in EASA AD 2023-0128-E specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.
