Agusta are supplying faulty parts !!!

[nigelh]

Just a warning to any 109 owners/ operators . My tail rotor pitch links have just been delivered by the factory ...there has been an SB out saying that if they are too tight ( pressure in the bearing ) they can crack and fail . This would make the blades have different pitches and could easily rip the whole gearbox off .....so not good !!! My links arrived and were checked and guess what ?
They are way way over the level Agusta say is safe !!! I know they don't want to look after owners who do not have new ships but trying to destroy the old fleet is a bit much don't you think ?!!!! Anyone out there who has taken delivery of these links recently should check theirs are correct as a matter of urgency I would say .
Ps. Has anyone out there got a pair of old useable ones ...??

[noooby]

Rip the Gearbox off? Kind of scare mongering aren't you?

The BT doesn't say anything like that at all. It says that there has been ONE bearing seizure on a Koala and that there was no damage to the helicopter or the occupants.

I don't think they are trying to destroy the older fleet, as these parts are still used on brand new helicopters (AW109SP and AW119MKII/AW119Kx).

Check the paperwork that came with the links. Is the Bulletin annotated as having been carried out? It should be, as items in stock were supposed to be checked.

Either way, if the bearings are tighter than the 7.3N, then get them replaced free of charge, as it clearly states in the Bulletin.

Call your local AOG number, let them know what is going on and why you want another replacement shipped Priority AOG. Also ask that they open an internal investigation so that Global stock can be inspected for compliance with the Bulletin. Let your local Tech Rep know so that they can open an Occurrence Report.

[Thomas coupling]

Don't let the truth stand in the way of a good story eh, Nigel?:=

[Cows getting bigger]

You received parts from Agusta? That's a bonus in itself. :}

[vfr440]

Isn't that the truth LOL :ok: - VFR

[timprice]

Love it, everyone making money for Christmas:E

[nigelh]

Well first things first ......
Both of my sets of engineers have told me that the link has cracked in the past and they believe that the SB is due to a real possibility of complete failure of the link . In their view the imbalance between the two blades pitch would make a huge vibration that could detach the blades and hub or even the whole assembly . I'm just a stupid pilot who listens to his engineers who have kept him safe for 35 years of flying !!!
Just send them back to Agusta ....Well , on the balance that they usually do not reply to requests and when they do it is usually not helpful ..I wonder if you could give me the contact details of the man at Agusta who could help !!!!!
Funnily enough I'm not even complaining about the price .....it's just painful to wait for such a simple ( and must be regularly replaced part ) and then when you get it .....it's exactly how Agusta say it must NOT BE !!!!!
Now this may not be a good story ...but it's the truth!!

[vfr440]

Nigel,
Agusta have a very respected approved service Centre in UK at Sloanes (Sywell). Duff quality isn't on. Might be an idea to get on to them and speak to Mac McCormick, their extremely diligent QM, who, I am sure, would chase up the problem on your behalf. 'Mac' as he is known, & Ch Eng Andy are first class engineers and will address your problem professionally and objectively. I'd be interested in the outcome on a peripheral basis - had a few dealings with Agusta in a previous life, though all the people I dealt with have either retired or gone to the big bar in the sky Regards etc - VFR

[nigelh]

Thank you Vfr . At present we are dealing with ....or trying to , Agusta in Italy .
I agree that supplying potentially very dangerous parts is totally unacceptable and it is lucky that my guys were diligent and checked the parts as against just fitting them !!

[noooby]

nigelh, you have an AOG center in the UK. Call +44 (0) 1935 702866 (5am to 10pm) or 7741 036307 (10pm to 6am).

I must stress that these parts are FREE. If you are being charged for the parts, then something is very wrong. Mandatory Bulletins - Parts are free. Optoinal Bulletins - Operator purchases parts. That is always true for Agusta.

The phone is mightier than the email!

[md 600 driver]

Shame Eurocopter or Turbomeca don't do the same regarding mandatory AD

Well done Augusta

[nigelh]

Thank you to all who offered help ... The links Agusta sent were 3x over the limit set by them , but now they are saying that they are changing the figures and the parts now pass !! As I feel uneasy about this I am getting the workshop to reduce the tightness down to Agusta, s limits ( as set in their manual ) . All a bit strange and slightly worrying !! If you see a 109 going around in circles , you will know what's happened .....

[500e]

nighel

At least the did not tell you you were reading the manual incorrectly.:(

[240DELTA]

Read the bulletin very carefully. Parts are only free on Mandatory Bulletins for a specific period of time only, after that Agusta, Agusta Westland, Finmeccanica, Leonardo makes you pay for the parts. Waiting 20 days till after the date on the Mandatory Bulletin and you will be paying for the parts. If you are purchasing an aircraft that has not been operated in awhile and mandatory bulletins have come out make sure you are fully aware of the cost of the parts as this can be a become a very big issue when trying to sell the aircraft. If you happen to operate a fleet of aircraft your Customer Service Manager might be inclined to "work with you" if you have exceeded the Compliance Date on the bulletin. Single aircraft operators will not find themselves in such an accommodating position as the Customer Service Manager works with specific quotas and is usually not inclined to grant such leniency.

[noooby]

And it is fair enough for an OEM to not supply the parts for free forever. There is a Compliance Date on Bulletins for a reason. Just because a machine is not being flown, that is no excuse for not keeping up to date with Mandatory Bulletins, especially when the OEM will supply the parts for FREE if you order them within the Compliance timeline.

Should be a no brainer and yet there are STILL people out there who can't figure it out.

Oh, and you can ask for an extension to a Mandatory Bulletin. I've had to do it many times when I worked for a 139 operator who couldn't get Mandatory BT's done before Compliance ran out! :ugh::ugh::ugh: