bell helicopters grounded

[Goldy]

For now, 2500 ships-Bell 407/206B/206L series are grounded? Bell hopes to have this reduced to a hundred or so, but for now, its widespread. Bearing on the co-pilot controls may be installed improperly. Check out the Bell website for more details.

 

Fly safe,

 

Goldy

[NonSequitur]

The FAA has already issued a follow up reducing the scope. Other sites say that the number of helicopters affected is now ~50. This is the key bit of the new AD:

 

Therefore, we are issuing this superseding Emergency AD to retain all of the requirements of Emergency AD 2009-07-51 but to reduce the applicability to only those helicopters with lever assemblies that have less than 50 hours TIS that may be affected by the unsafe condition.

 

The latest AD is here.

[Gomer Pylot]

The required inspection only takes a few minutes - remove the pilot's seat, the panel under it, and check a bearing, then replace everything. I suspect almost all were done the first day, within hours of the issuance.

[IFlySky5]

Hi

 

The original EAD and subsequent EAD only apply to aircraft that have had that part replaced in the last 50 hours, or if the aircraft has less than 50 hours of TIS

 

It wasn't a world-wide grounding of the 206A,B,L/407/427 series aircraft.

 

An these AD's were supplemental to the Bell service bulletin issued almost a full week prior to the FAA AD's

 

However a lot of operators voluntary grounded aircraft in this series to ensure there wasn't any oversight.

 

Regards,

IFlySky5