AS350 & 355 EAD 20/10/2020
 

UK CAA published an EAD today 2020-0224-E at the instruction of EASA for tail rotor blades following 2 reports of de-bonding of leading edge protection shields.

Shades of the Robinson blade AD, including the mechanism causing the debonding, daily inspections and tap tests.

I really need to improve my walkround - I had entirely missed the leading-edge shields on the 44’s TR.

@Hilico you can split semantic hairs if you like, but the referenced AS350 & 355 EAD is very, very similar to this Robinson AD. Debonding of a leading edge structure on a rotor blade requiring daily inspections, tap testing, and total replacement per a prescribed schedule. In the former case the tail rotor, in the latter case the main rotor. Having just gone through the replacement of the -5 MRBs on my 44 this past January (luckily I only got screwed out of 4 months of blade life--they were due in April anyway), this entire situation is still fresh in my mind, and I have the stack of AD-mandated daily check sheets to prove it, and some leftover leading edge paint, too.

Point taken. Also, got to love the way the FAA phrase it vs EASA’s verbalese.

Hilico, was that meant to be tongue in cheek or did you get those the wrong way round? The EASA one seems very straightforward but the Robbie one is pages long.

The FAA / Robinson doc is longer, but tells the story better - perhaps it’s a style preference of mine.