Summary
This document proposes adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (BHTC) model helicopters. This proposal would require, before the first flight of each day, checking the tail rotor blade (blade) root doublers (doublers) for an edge void or de-bond on both sides of each blade, and if an edge void or de-bond is found, replacing the unairworthy blade with an airworthy blade. This proposal would also require replacing any affected serial-numbered blade with an airworthy blade. This proposal is prompted by reports of de-bond of the doublers due to inadequate surface preparation resulting in poor adherence of the doublers. The actions specified by this proposed AD are intended to prevent loss of a blade, loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.