R22 AD requires rotor-blade check | Aviation International News

R22 AD requires rotor-blade check

The FAA issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive last month to all Robinson R22 owners and operators, calling for them to carry out immediate checks to

By Andrew Healey

March 30, 2007

The FAA issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive last month to all Robinson R22 owners and operators, calling for them to carry out immediate checks to assess the serviceability of their main rotor blades.

The bulletin was prompted by two accidents–in Australia and Israel–that were
attributed to blade failure. Post-accident investigation revealed that corrosion from water penetration had initiated fatigue cracks in the blades. It was established that the cracked blades manifested themselves, initially, in an increase in helicopter vibration. Following a track-and-balance of the blades, the vibrations would go back to normal for a short time and then slowly increase again, until blade failure occurred. If not prevented, the condition could lead to a fatigue crack, followed by blade failure and subsequent loss of control.

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