AD/BELL 47/100 - Stabiliser Bar Damper Link Assembly

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

Bell Helicopter Textron 47 (All Variants) Series Helicopters

AD/BELL 47/100 Stabiliser Bar Damper Link Assembly 8/98

Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G-2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J,

47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K helicopters.

Remove the stabiliser bar damper link assemblies from the helicopter, install a safety washer kit, part number CA-047-96-022-1, and reinstall the stabiliser bar damper link assemblies onto the helicopter in accordance with Accomplishment Instructions in Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Alert Service Bulletin 47-96-22, dated 16 August 1996.

FAA AD 98-07-09 Amdt 39-10429 refers.

Unless already accomplished, within 100 hours time in service after 16 July 1998 or before 16 November 1998, whichever occurs first.

This airworthiness directive becomes effective on 16 July 1998.

The FAA received two reports of incidents in which the bushings loosened and exited the damper link rod ends, allowing the damper link to slide over the retention bolt and separate from the stabiliser bar (in the first incident), and from the hydraulic damper (in the second incident). Failure of the damper link assembly could result in degraded control response and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.