SAIB SW-05-37 —

1 SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

SW-05-37 March 17, 2005 www.faa.gov/certification/aircraft This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin clarifies life limits of AD 2002-01-31 and AD 2002-20-01 for you, owners and operators of the following helicopters:

Manufacturers Models Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc. AST, Inc. Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services Garlick Helicopters, Inc. Global Helicopter Technology, Inc. Hagglund Helicopters, LLC International Helicopters, Inc. Precision Helicopters, LLC Robinson Air Crane, Inc. San Joaquin Helicopters Smith Helicopters S. M. & T. Aircraft Southern Helicopter, Inc. Tamarack Helicopters, Inc. US Helicopter, Inc. Williams Helicopter Corporation HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P; Southwest Florida Aviation SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1

Restatement of ADs

Paragraphs (a)(8) and (b)(6) of AD 2002-01- 31 state “This AD establishes a retirement life of 265,000 accumulated RIN or 15,000 hours TIS, whichever occurs first, for main rotor mast, P/N 204-011-450-007, -105, and –109” and “This AD establishes a retirement life of 300,000 accumulated RIN or 15,000 hours TIS, whichever occurs first, for the trunnion, P/N 204-011-105-001.”

Paragraph (a) of AD 2002-20-01 states, “Remove and replace any TT strap with 1,200 hours TIS or 24 months since the initial installation, whichever occurs first.” The applicability is for TT straps with Bell Helicopter P/N 204-012-122-1 or 204-012- 122-5 installed, or approved Bendix P/N’s 2601399 or 2606650 installed.

2 Background

The intent of both ADs is to establish a reduced service life for all three components within the given applicability. The life limits apply immediately to all current and subsequently installed parts of the affected part numbers. This is NOT a one time life limit affecting only currently installed components.

Recommendations

Review the ADs carefully to ensure that you accomplish proper compliance including revising the Airworthiness Limitations section of the maintenance manual by replacing existing retirement lives with the retirement lives specified by the ADs and by replacing any component that has exceeded these life limits.

We also recommend that you use a retirement life of 1,200 hours TIS or 24 months from their initial installation on any helicopter, whichever occurs first for all other eligible part number TT straps not listed in AD 2002- 20-01. These retirement life limits are consistent with other commercial helicopter models of similar type design.

For Further Information Contact

Michael Kohner, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA Rotorcraft Certification Office, Federal Aviation Administration, Fort Worth, TX, 76193-0170; telephone: (817) 222-5447; e-mail: [email protected].