# AD 80-12-04: Tail Rotor Blades

- Type: Airworthiness directive
- Status: Historical
- Products: Eurocopter France SA330F, SA330G and SA330J
- Effective: June 2, 1980
- Superseded by: [AD 2000-22-19](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2000-22-19)
- Product type: Aircraft, Rotorcraft
- Amendment: 39-3790
- Registered aircraft: 6 may be affected, by airframe or engine model (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/E93A5DF315E464CE86256A5000686DB0.0001
- DRS record last changed: August 7, 2025
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ad/80-12-04

## The airworthiness directive

80-12-04 SOCIETE NATIONALE INDUSTRIELLE AEROSPATIALE (SNIAS): Amendment 39-3790. Applies to Model SA-330 series helicopters, certificated in all categories, with tail rotor blades P/N 330.12.0000 all dash numbers, P/N 330.12.0005 all dash numbers, or P/N 330.12.0006 all dash numbers installed.

To prevent failure of the tail rotor blades, accomplish the following:

  (a) Within the next five hours time in service after the effective date of this AD or before further flight following the last flight of the day after the effective date of this AD, whichever occurs sooner, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed five hours time in service from the last inspection, and before further flight following the last flight of each day, inspect the tail rotor blade skin in the root area of all tail rotor blades for cracks by visual means in accordance with Aerospatiale Service Bulletin No. 05.59, dated March 23, 1979, or an equivalent approved by the Chief, Aircraft Certification Staff, FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Office, c/o American Embassy, Brussels, Belgium.

  (b) If, during any inspection required by this AD, any cracks are found, before further flight, remove the cracked blade from service and replace with a serviceable part of the same part number, or a serviceable interchangeable tail rotor blade as defined by Section 5.11 of the Aerospatiale Model SA-330 series helicopters Maintenance Manual, Chapter 65.21 or an equivalent approved by the Chief, Aircraft Certification Staff, FAA, Europe, Africa, and Middle East Office, and continue to inspect in accordance with paragraph (a) of this AD.

This amendment becomes effective June 2, 1980, as to all persons except those persons to whom it was made immediately effective by the telegram issued April 6, 1979, which contained this amendment.

## Affected data sheets (1) (OpenAirDocs)

The type certificate data sheets whose models the AD names.

- [TCDS H4EU](https://openairdocs.org/tcds/H4EU): Airbus Helicopters; names 1 of 7 models: SA330J

## 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: 6 (6 by airframe model, 0 by engine model)
- Makers: Aerospatiale 3, Eurocopter France 2, Eurocopter 1

Models with the most aircraft:

- [Aerospatiale SA330J](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa330j): 3 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Eurocopter France SA330J](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-france-sa330j): 2 aircraft (airframe model)
- [Eurocopter SA 330J](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-sa-330j): 1 aircraft (airframe model)

All 3 models: https://openairdocs.org/ad/80-12-04/models.md
Every aircraft: https://openairdocs.org/ad/80-12-04/aircraft.md

## Related documents

- [AD 2000-22-19](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2000-22-19) (historical): Tail Rotor Blade Skin · Airbus Helicopters SA330F, SA330G and SA330J. Effective Dec 19, 2000. Supersedes this AD

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.