New Bell AD

[rotormatic]

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/fc69328b63b304498625757c00706b56/$FILE/2009-07-51_Emergency.pdf

http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/Storage/ASB_206-09-121.pdf

http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/Storage/ASB_206L-09-155.pdf

http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/Storage/ASB_407-09-85.pdf

http://www.bellcustomer.com/files/Storage/ASB_427-09-23.pdf

[P1V1T1]

FAA Grounds 2,800 Bell Helicopters Nationwide - cbs4.com (http://cbs4.com/local/Chopper.4.FAA.2.962167.html)

[206 jock]

Interestingly, the Bell ASB states:

"Before next flight, inspect all spare and installed
lever assemblies which have accumulated less than
50 hours in service."

Yet the FAA has insisted that ALL 206's (et al) are inspected before further flight. I had to get an engineer out to my place to get it done. PITA.

Why have the FAA taken their decision to exceed the Bell advice?

[SASless]

I would question why only those assemblies with under 50 Hours being inspected. As a good engineering practice I would suggest inspecting every one of the things. At least they are calling for grounding the aircraft as it must be a critical problem should thing fail.

Also...a second question is it would seem Bell might not know which parts actually had those particular kinds of questionable bits installed except to a certain time period they were in the system during build of the parts. If that is so....then that is a bit troubling to me.

[widgeon]

This would suggest that this has been an ongoing problem , if the problem was only with a specific batch of parts I am sure that Bell would know exactly which aircraft were shipped with these batches and which ones were shipped as spares. It is inconceivable that an aerospace manufacturer would not have this information available through their ERP system. But on re reading the AD the TIS limit makes no sense , it would have made more sense to specify a range of serial numbers or spares delivered in a certain date range.

edited for spelling

[206 jock]

Looks like the FAA made a cock-up. New AD issued now only pertaining to installations with <50 hours in service!

I wonder if they'd like my bill!

[Encyclo]

Funny how Transport Canada got it right the FIRST TIME!!! :ugh::ugh::ugh:

[The Sultan]

And SASless got it wrong (not a surprise). I figure he would be exclusively on the other threads putting fingers in the dike.

The Sultan