2017-18-13: Main Rotor Blade

Adoption of the Amendment Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA amends 14 CFR part 39 as follows: PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES 0 1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows: Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701. Sec. 39.13 [Amended] 0 2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-22-51, Amendment 39-18386 (81 FR 5037, February 1, 2016), and adding the following new AD: 2017-18-13 Agusta S.p.A.: Amendment 39-19022; Docket No. FAA-2017- 0308; Product Identifier 2016-SW-083-AD. (a) Applicability This AD applies to Model A109A and A109A II helicopters with a main rotor blade (blade) part number (P/N) 109-0103-01-7, P/N 109- 0103-01-9, or P/N 109-0103-01-115 that has 500 or more hours time- in-service (TIS) installed, certificated in any category. (b) Unsafe Condition This AD defines the unsafe condition as a crack in a blade.This condition could result in failure of a blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. (c) Affected ADs This AD supersedes AD 2015-22-51, Amendment 39-18386 (81 FR 5037, February 1, 2016). (d) Effective Date This AD becomes effective September 25, 2017. (e) Compliance You are responsible for performing each action required by this AD within the specified compliance time unless it has already been accomplished prior to that time. (f) Required Actions Before further flight, unless already done within the last 5 hours TIS, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 5 hours TIS: (1) Using a 3X or higher power magnifying glass, visually inspect the top and bottom surface of each blade for a crack in the area between the station at the end of the doublers (station 1550) and the station at the beginning of the abrasion strip (station 3100). (2) If there is a crack, replace the blade before further flight. Replacing the blade with blade P/N 109-0103-01-7, P/N 109- 0103-01-9, or P/N 109-0103-01-115 does not constitute terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by this AD. (g) Special Flight Permits Special flight permits are prohibited. (h) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) (1) The Manager, Safety Management Section, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Matt Fuller, Senior Aviation Safety Engineer, Safety Management Section, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5110; email [email protected]. (2) For operations conducted under a 14 CFR part 119 operating certificate or under 14 CFR part 91, subpart K, we suggest that you notify your principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector, the manager of the local flight standards district office or certificate holding district office, before operating any aircraft complying with this AD through an AMOC. (i) Additional Information (1) Leonardo Helicopters Alert Bollettino Tecnico No. 109-150, Revision B, dated October 21, 2016, which is not incorporated by reference, contains additional information about the subject of this AD. For service information identified in this AD, contact Leonardo S.p.A. Helicopters, Matteo Ragazzi, Head of Airworthiness, Viale G.Agusta 520, 21017 C.Costa di Samarate (Va) Italy; telephone +39- 0331-711756; fax +39-0331-229046; or at http://www.leonardocompany.com/-/bulletins. You may review a copy of the service information at the FAA, Office of the Regional Counsel, Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy, Room 6N-321, Fort Worth, TX 76177. (2) The subject of this AD is addressed in European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD No. 2016-0213, dated October 26, 2016. You may view the EASA AD on the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov by searching for and locating it in Docket No. FAA-2017-0308. (j) Subject Joint Aircraft Service Component (JASC) Code: 6210,Main Rotor Blade.