# AD 2024-04-10: Tail Rotor Blades - Type: Airworthiness directive - Status: Current - Products: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2+/EC635T2+, EC135T3, EC635T2+ and EC135T2 - Effective: March 19, 2024 - Published: March 4, 2024, 89 FR 15431–15434 - Issued: February 23, 2024 - Issued as: Final rule; request for comments - Superseded by: Nothing supersedes this AD - Product type: Aircraft, Rotorcraft - Amendment: 39-22689 - Docket: FAA-2024-0453 (https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FAA-2024-0453) - Project: MCAI-2024-00068-R - Registered aircraft: 345 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs) - Official PDF: https://openairdocs.org/files/sha256/0c/13/0c133d0a22c4c37d170381cc5780081da4b3756920b5cc52d0da24b920256ded (from https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-03-04/pdf/2024-04589.pdf) - Federal Register: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/04/2024-04589/airworthiness-directives-airbus-helicopters-deutschland-gmbh-ahd-helicopters - FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/FR-ADFRAWD-2024-04589-0000000000.0001 - DRS record last changed: November 21, 2025 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2024-04-10 ## Summary The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T1, EC135T2, EC135T2+, EC135T2, EC135T3, and EC635T2+ helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a separated tail rotor (T/R) blade due to a crack which was caused by intergranular corrosion. This AD requires repetitively inspecting certain part- numbered T/R blades for a crack and, depending on the results, removing any cracked T/R blade from service. This AD also prohibits installing certain T/R blades on any helicopter unless certain requirements are met. These actions are specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) emergency AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. ## The airworthiness directive Issued on February 23, 2024. Caitlin Locke, Director, Compliance & Airworthiness Division, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. 2024-04589 Filed 2-29-24; 4:15 pm]BILLING CODE 4910-13-P ## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs) The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names. - [TCDS H88EU](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/H88EU): Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD); names 8 of 9 models: EC135P1, EC135T1, EC135P2, EC135T2, EC135P2+, EC135P3, EC135T3, EC635T2+ ## Registered aircraft it may apply to (OpenAirDocs) Matched by airframe and engine model; the AD's applicability may narrow it by serial number, part number or equipment. - Aircraft: 345 (345 by airframe model, 0 by engine model) - Makers: Eurocopter Deutschland 242, Airbus Helicopters Deutschland 74, Airbus Helicopters 29 Models with the most aircraft: - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2+](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec-135-p2-plus): 166 aircraft (airframe model) - [Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135 P3](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-deutschland-ec135-p3): 34 aircraft (airframe model) - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 P2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec-135-p2): 31 aircraft (airframe model) - [Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135T3](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-deutschland-ec135t3): 27 aircraft (airframe model) - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135t2): 16 aircraft (airframe model) - [Airbus Helicopters EC135 P3](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-ec135-p3): 16 aircraft (airframe model) - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135T1](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135t1): 14 aircraft (airframe model) - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135P1](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135p1): 14 aircraft (airframe model) - [Airbus Helicopters Deutschland EC135 P2+](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-deutschland-ec135-p2-plus): 13 aircraft (airframe model) - [Airbus Helicopters EC135T3](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-ec135t3): 13 aircraft (airframe model) - [Eurocopter Deutschland EC135 P3](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-deutschland-ec135-p3): 1 aircraft (airframe model) All 11 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2024-04-10/models.md Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/2024-04-10/aircraft.md No proposed rule in this release led to it. Its text cites no advisory circulars or STCs. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.