Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-22641 · Tail rotor drive shaft
Airbus Helicopters
Superseded. A later AD replaced this one: AD 2026-16-10. Comply with the one in force.
This AD applies to Airbus Helicopters Model EC130T2 helicopters, certificated in any category, as identified in European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Emergency AD 2023-0190-E, dated November 2, 2023 (EASA AD 2023-0190-E).
The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-27- 09, which applied to certain Airbus Helicopters Model EC130T2 helicopters. AD 2022-27-09 required repetitively inspecting the vibration level on the tail rotor drive shaft and, depending on the results, taking corrective action. AD 2022-27-09 also required reporting information and prohibited installing certain rotor drive shafts unless the inspection was done. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-27- 09, Airbus Helicopters revised its service information to update the procedures for inspecting that vibration level, reduce an allowable vibration level, and clarify when a balance correction may be accomplished. This AD was prompted by the determination that a certain vibration measurement tool was providing unexpected results and therefore the threshold must be revised. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2022-27-09 and also revises the procedures for inspecting the vibration level on the tail rotor drive shaft and depending on these results, requires replacing certain parts, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. 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, EASA AD 2023-0190-E.
(1) Where EASA AD 2023-0190-E requires compliance in terms of flight hours, this AD requires using hours time-in-service.
(2) Where EASA AD 2023-0190-E refers to the effective date of December 16, 2022 (the effective date of EASA AD 2022-0251-E, dated December 14, 2022), this AD requires using the effective date of January 30, 2023 (the effective date of AD 2022-27-09).
(3) Where EASA AD 2023-0190-E refers to its effective date, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(4) Where EASA AD 2023-0190-E refers to tail rotor drive shaft checks, this AD requires tail rotor drive shaft inspections.
(5) Where Note 1 of EASA AD 2023-0190-E states, “Unless indicated otherwise, the FH specified in Table 1 of this AD are those accumulated by the helicopter since first flight, or since the installation of the new spline sleeve equipped and sliding flange;” for this AD, replace that text with “Unless indicated otherwise, the hours time-in-service specified in Table 1 of this AD are those accumulated by the helicopter since first flight, or since the installation of the new spline sleeve equipped and sliding flange, as applicable to your helicopter.”
(6) This AD does not allow the provisions in Note 2 of EASA AD 2023-0190-E or Note 2 in the ASB referenced in EASA AD 2023-0190-E. Refer to paragraph (j) of this AD for special flight permit information.
(7) Where paragraphs (2) and (3) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E require removing parts, this AD requires removing those parts from service.
(8) Where paragraph (4) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E specifies to “contact AH [Airbus Helicopters] to obtain approved instructions, and within the compliance time(s) specified therein, accomplish those instructions accordingly;” for this AD, replace that text with “accomplish corrective action in accordance with a method approved by the Manager, International Validation Branch, FAA; or EASA; or Airbus Helicopters' EASA Design Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by the DOA, the approval must include the DOA-authorized signature.”
(9) This AD does not require compliance with paragraph (5) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E.
Note 1 paragraph (h)(9): Accomplishing a balance correction other than with the replacement of tail rotor drive line parts could interfere with subsequent tail rotor drive line balancing inspections. Airbus Helicopters Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. EC130-05A042, Revision 1, dated November 2, 2023, contains additional information regarding balance corrections.
(10) This AD does not require compliance with paragraph (6) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E.
(11) Instead of the credit allowed in paragraph (7) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E, you may take credit for the vibration measurements required by paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E that have been accomplished before the effective date of this AD using Airbus Helicopters Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. EC130-05A042, Revision 0, dated December 14, 2022.
(12) Instead of the credit allowed in paragraph (8) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E, you may take credit for accomplishing “maintenance task B,” as defined in EASA AD 2023-0190-E and required by paragraph (3) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E, to satisfy the initial instance of “maintenance task B,” as defined in EASA AD 2023-0190-E and required by paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2023-0190-E.
(13) This AD does not adopt the “Remarks” section of EASA AD 2023-0190-E.
Although the service information referenced in EASA AD 2023-0190-E specifies to submit certain information to the manufacturer, this AD does not include that requirement.
