Here is the letter attached to the AWB. This does not have a completion date
and why is there not an AD??
Canberra, Brisbane, Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Tamworth, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth
Standards Division
File Ref: D13/36518
5 February 2013
Notice to all R44 Operators
Subject: Fuel Tanks - R44 helicopters, S/N 0001 thru 2064 and
R44 II helicopters, S/N 10001 thru 12890.
You may be aware of recent incidents and accidents involving Robinson R44 helicopters that, in some cases, have resulted in post-crash fires following helicopter rollover and/or low velocity impact events. The Type Certificate holder (manufacturer) is recommending the incorporation of a bladder fuel tank kit to improve the integrity of the tank after impact or rollover events. The manufacturer’s recommendation comes in the form of Service Bulletin (SB) 78B, which specifies the requirements for the installation of the modified fuel tanks, with a compliance date of April 2013.
Operators are reminded of their responsibility to ensure that aircraft are in a safe and airworthy state. This requires the operator to review manufacturer’s recommendations and associated data and, where appropriate, to incorporate those recommendations.
Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR) 42A (4) 1988 states the following;
(4) If a person has elected to use a manufacturer‘s maintenance schedule for an aircraft’s maintenance, all instructions issued by the manufacturer of components permanently, or from time to time, included in, or fitted to, the aircraft, being instructions for the continued airworthiness of the components, are to be taken to form part of the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and election has effect accordingly.
At this time, CASA strongly recommends that all operators of R44 helicopters, which are subject to the Robinson SB (78B), incorporate the manufacturer’s modified bladder tanks at the earliest opportunity.
To enable CASA to determine the current and projected status of the R44 fleet, you are requested to advise CASA on the status of the fuel tank installation on your aircraft and whether the Service Bulletin modification has been installed. This can be achieved by completing the attached form and returning it by facsimile, mail or e-mail at the earliest opportunity. If you own multiple aircraft, it would be appreciated if a separate form for each aircraft is returned
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Yours sincerely
[ORIGINAL SIGNED BY]
Peter Boyd
Executive Manager
Standards Division
Civil Aviation Safety Authority
Even a time span on this would have been handy as most AD's have.