The National Transportation Safety Board has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate specific daily visual inspections for main rotor blades on Eurocopter helicopters.
Safety recommendation
The National Transportation Safety Board has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate specific daily visual inspections for main rotor blades on Eurocopter helicopters.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued Safety Recommendation A-11-036, designated as MIA07FA116, addressed directly to the Federal Aviation Administration. This recommendation is contingent upon the revision of the Eurocopter aircraft maintenance manual as described in Safety Recommendation A-11-35. Once that manual update is completed, the NSB requires the FAA to mandate that operators of all Eurocopter helicopters equipped with main rotor blades bearing part numbers 355A11-0020 and/or 355A11-0030 must revise their respective maintenance manuals. These revised manuals are required to include specific daily visual inspections targeting the trailing edge of the blades’ upper and lower skin surfaces. The purpose of these mandatory inspections is to detect any cracks or surface deterioration and disfiguration that may compromise the integrity of the rotor system.