The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a safety recommendation to the European Aviation Safety Agency regarding specific visual inspection requirements for helicopter main rotor blades.
Safety recommendation
The National Transportation Safety Board has issued a safety recommendation to the European Aviation Safety Agency regarding specific visual inspection requirements for helicopter main rotor blades.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued safety recommendation A-11-037, identified by reference number MIA07FA116, addressed directly to the European Aviation Safety Agency. This formal directive urges the regulatory body to require Eurocopter to revise its aircraft maintenance manual for all helicopters equipped with part number 355A11-0020 and/or 355A11-0030 main rotor blades. The recommended revisions would mandate that specific visual inspections of the trailing edge of the blades’ upper and lower skin surfaces be included as part of the daily flight-related check. These inspections are intended to detect cracks and surface deterioration or disfiguration, ensuring that potential structural issues are identified promptly during routine operational checks.