Summary
The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-08-20 for certain Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) EC130B4 and EC130T2 helicopters. AD 2016-08-20 requires repetitively inspecting the tail boom to Fenestron junction frame (junction frame) for a crack. Since the FAA issued AD 2016-08-20, additional cracks have been reported and a design change that modifies the junction frame has become available. This proposed AD would continue to require inspecting the junction frame with the horizontal stabilizer removed, and would propose to expand the applicability, revise the compliance time and the inspection procedures for inspecting the junction frame, add inspection procedures for certain helicopters, allow repair of the junction frame, and would require modifying and then repetitively inspecting the junction frame and reporting certain information. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.