Rotorcraft
New AD for Super Pumas reduces inspection intervals
The EASA issued a new AD for the Eurocopter Super Puma intermediate gearbox (IGB) fairing gutter on December 21, calling for correction as described in Eur

The EASA issued a new AD for the Eurocopter Super Puma intermediate gearbox (IGB) fairing gutter on December 21, calling for correction as described in Eurocopter service bulletins. It also requires reduced inspection intervals.

The intermediate gearbox fairing gutter first attracted scrutiny in 2005. At that time, one IGB fairing gutter separated from a Super Puma’s tail and interfered with the tail rotor’s inclined drive shaft. This condition, if not corrected, can lead to failure of the drive shaft, causing loss of the tail-rotor drive and reduced control of the helicopter, according to the most recent AD from the EASA. The French civil aviation authorities issued a corrective AD in 2005, and the EASA published a second one in 2007, after another separation report. At that time, the authorities believed the problem had been solved.

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