AD/BELL 222/18 Amdt 3 - Tail Rotor Blades (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) 222 Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 222/18 Amdt 3

Tail Rotor Blades 3/97

Applicability: Models 222, 222B, 222U, and 230, with tail rotor blades P/N 222-016-001-101,-107, -111, -113, -115 and -119.

Requirement: 1. Inspect in accordance with Bell Helicopter Alert SBs 222-95-76 Rev B, 222U-95- 47 Rev B, and 230-95-8 Rev B until completion of Requirement 2.

2. Remove from service, those tail rotor blades listed in the Applicability statement, and install tail rotor blades P/N 222-016-001-123 or -127, or higher dash number. This terminates the repetitive inspection requirement.

Note: DoT Canada AD CF-96-03R2 refers.

Compliance: 1. Unless already accomplished, prior to further flight after 24 July 1996, thereafter inspect at intervals not exceeding three hours time in service until replacement.

This part of the Directive must be entered onto the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. Following the initial inspection, Accomplishment Instructions Section 1. of the Requirement document inspections may be performed by the pilot in command, in which case a certification is to be made by entering AD/BELL 222/18 Amdt 3 against the Daily Inspection certification on the Maintenance Release. A copy of this Directive and of the Requirement document must be carried in the aircraft.

2. Before 31 March 1997.

This Amendment becomes effective on 27 February 1997.

Background: The manufacturer has reported incidents, one of which resulted in an in-flight failure of a tail rotor blade. Investigation has revealed fatigue cracking originating from sanding marks on the stainless steel skin.