AD 2017-22-05 Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Type Certificate Previously Held by Eurocopter France)

This AD supersedes AD 2013-15-03, Amendment 39-17519 (78 FR 44422, July 24, 2013).

(1) For each bearing with less than 115 hours time-in-service (TIS), before accumulating 150 hours TIS, and for each bearing with 115 or more hours TIS, within 50 hours TIS, and for all helicopters thereafter at intervals not to exceed 150 hours TIS: (i) Grease each bearing in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions, paragraph 3.B.2.b., of Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin No. AS350-63.00.24, Revision 0, dated October 21, 2014 (ASB). (ii) Perform a test ground run. Inspect all grease that comes out of the bearing during the ground run and all grease around the bearing for bronze particles. (iii) If there are any bronze particles in the grease, before further flight, replace the bearing with bearing P/N 704A33651269. This constitutes terminating action for the inspections in this AD. Note 1 to paragraph (f)(1)(iii) of this AD: Hydraulic pump drive assembly P/N 350A35-0132-01 is fitted with bearing P/N 704A33651269. (2) Within 600 hours TIS and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 600 hours TIS: (i) Visually inspect the bearing for bronze particles in the grease. If there are any bronze particles in the grease, before further flight, replace the bearing with bearing P/N 704A33651269. This constitutes terminating action for the inspections in this AD. (ii) Manually rotate the bearing and inspect for a friction point, brinelling, and a noise from the bearing. If there is a hard point, any brinelling, or any noise from the bearing, before further flight, replace the bearing with bearing P/N 704A33651269. (3) Replacing bearing P/N 704A33651243 with bearing P/N 704A33651269, or replacing hydraulic pump drive assembly P/N 350A35-0132-00 with hydraulic pump drive assembly P/N 350A35-0132-01, constitutes terminating action for the inspections required by this AD.

(1) The Manager, Safety Management Section, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Stephen Barbini, Manager, Safety Management Section, Policy and Innovation Division, FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5110; email 9-ASW-FTW-AMOC-Requests@faa.gov. (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.

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.

This AD defines the unsafe condition as the seizure of the bearing. This condition could result in hydraulic pump drive belt failure, loss of hydraulic servo assistance, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.