Summary
This document proposes superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) helicopters. That AD requires repetitively inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) planet gear carrier for a crack and replacing any MGB that has a cracked planet gear carrier before further flight. This action would require the same inspections required by the existing AD but would shorten the initial inspection interval. This proposal is prompted by the discovery of another crack in a MGB planet gear carrier and additional analysis that indicates that the initial inspection interval must be shortened. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to detect a crack in the web of the planet gear carrier, which could lead to a MGB seizure and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.