Bell ASB 407-07-80: No revision named

NO.

DATE PAGE DATE

ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN

A Subsidiary of Textron Inc.

AN APPROPRIATE ENTRY SHOULD BE MADE IN THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOK UPON ACCOMPLISHMENT

IF OWNERSHIP OF AIRCRAFT HAS CHANGED PLEASE FORWARD TO NEW OWNER 407-07-80 AUG 27, 2007 1 of 18

MODEL AFFECTED: 407

SUBJECT: TAILBOOM ASSE MBLY 407-030-801-107, AND 407-530-014-101/-103, NEW INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.

HELICOPTERS AFFECTED: Model 407 helicopters serial number 53000 through 53475 with subject tailboom installed.

[Model 407 helicopters se rial numbers 53476 and subsequent and serial numbers 53000 through 53475 that have tailboom 407-030-801-201/-203/- 205 or later installed ar e not affected by the recurring inspections of this bulletin.

COMPLIANCE: PART I Immediately after receipt of this bulletin.

PART II Within 25 flight-hours or 30 days after accomplishment of PART I.

PART III At the second flying day after accomplishment of Part II and before each first flight of the day thereafter. Compliance with this daily check can be accomplished by the pilot as part of his preflight check.

PART IV Within 100 flight-hours after accomplishment of PART II and every 100 flighthours thereafter.

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DESCRIPTION:

CAUTION

TAILBOOM ASSEMBLIES 407-030-801-107, 407-530-014- 101/-103 ARE AUTHORIZED FOR A MAXIMUM OF 5000

HOURS IN SERVICE AFTER WHICH TIME THEY SHOULD BE RETIRED. REMOVAL AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF

THE UPPER AND/OR LOWER SKINS IS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED ON THE TA ILBOOM ASSEMBLIES 407- 030-801-107, 407-530-014-101/-103.

Bell Helicopter received additional reports of cracked tailboom skins P/N 407-030-801- 157 affecting field-modified tailboom a ssemblies 407-530-014-101/-103 (Ref. ASB 407-01-48) and original produc tion tailboom assembly P/ N 407-030-801-107. Each report indicated a crack seen above the le ft side upper stabilizer attachment support, at Station 98.89. Further investigation conduced by BHT revealed that other areas of the subject tailbooms do require additional attention.

-NOTE- Tailboom 407-030-801-101 and /-105 shall have had ASB 407-01-48 Rev. “B” accomplishe d as of January 31, 2003 therefore converted to tailboom 407-530-014-101/-103.

-NOTE- Terminating action to this Alert Service Bulletin is replacement of the affected tailboom assembly 407-530-014- 101/-103 or 407-03 0-801-107 by tailboom 407-030-801- 201/-203/-205 or later.

PART I of this Alert Service Bulletin requires identification of the affected tailboom.

PART II of this bulletin gives instructions to remove the paint and the primer from the left side of the tailboom at two specific areas to allow detailed inspection.

PART III of this bulletin introduces a daily vis ual check of the specific areas where paint and primer were removed under Part II. Compliance with this daily check can be accomplished by the pilot as part of his preflight check.

PART IV changes the intervals of the scheduled inspection requirements described in Revision 23 of the Chapter 4 of the Main tenance Manual (BHT-407-MM-1, Table 4.2) to 100 Flight-hours and adds t he new inspection requirements as defined by this bulletin. It also supersedes the inspection requirements as defined under PART V of Alert Service Bulletin 407-01-48 (Revision “B”).

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APPROVAL:

The engineering design aspects of this bulletin are TCCA approved.

MANPOWER:

PART I: Approximately 0.5 man-hour is required to accomplish PART I of this bulletin.

PART II: Approximately 1.5 man- hours are required to accomplish PART II of this bulletin.

PART III: No more time is necessary if this check is being done as part of the Pilot’s Preflight check.

PART IV: Approximately 2.5 man-hour s are required to accomplish PART IV of this bulletin.

NOTE: Man-hours are based on hands-on time , and may vary with personnel and facilities available.

WARRANTY:

Owners / Operators of the affected tailbooms that have completed Part 1, Part II (1.g.), Part III (1.d.) or Part IV (3.a.) of this bulletin and hav e found a crack in the detailed area listed in this bulletin may replace their tailboom at no cost providing you purchase a replacement tailboom part num ber 407-030-801-205 or later from a Bell approved supply source.

Order a replacement tailboom through the Bell Spares Depar tment or Bell approved source at full list price, and file a warranty claim in VIST A. Warranty administration will credit your account based on replacement part invoice cost. In addition, Bell Warranty will offer a maximum of $2,100. 00 for labor to remove and replace the tailboom, shim and install the horizontal stabilizer, re- wire and paint the ta il boom. An additional $400.00 maximum will be allowed for the cost of the paint.

NOTE: Once you have replaced the tailboom, please remove the data plate from the unserviceable tailboom and notify Product Support Engineering Light Group of the serial number removed. Also notify your local CSR who will pick the data plate, and witness the destruction of the discrepant part.

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MATERIAL:

Required Material:

None required.

Consumable Material:

For PART II:

ƒ Paint stripper (C-436) under MIL-R-81294A OR MIL-R-8633A.

ƒ Aluminum tape C-439, Aluminum Tape 425-2IN.

ƒ Clear polyurethane paint coating (C-245) . Clear enamel coating in a spray can which is procured locally is an acceptabl e alternate to the clear polyurethane coating.

ƒ 2 inch wide paint brush

For PART III or PART IV:

ƒ Aircraft soap (C-318) under MIL-C-87936, as required.

SPECIAL TOOLS:

For PART II and PART IV: 10X Magnifying glass

WEIGHT AND BALANCE:

Not affected

ELECTRICAL LOAD DATA:

Not affected

REFERENCES:

ASB 407-01-48, Revision “C” ASB 407-07-77, dated March 28, 2007 BHT-206-SRM-1 BHT-407-MM-1, Rev 23, Maintenance Manual, Chapter 4 BHT-407-MM-5, Rev 18, Maintenance Manual, Chapter 53 Corrosion Control Guide, Chapter 10 BHT-ALL-SPM, Rev. 2, dated 16 February, 2007

PUBLICATIONS AFFECTED:

BHT-407-MM-1, Rev 23, Maintenance Manual, Chapter 4 ASB 407-01-48, Revision “B “

ASB 407-07-80 Page 5 of 18

ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

PART I VERIFICATION FOR AFFECTED TAILBOOM.

1. Upon receipt of this bulletin, verify the helicopter technical records to determine if you have a tail boom 407-030-801-107, or 407-530-014- 101/103 installed. You can also ph ysically confirm the tailboom part number by removing the aft driveshaft cover and looking at the identification plate located near Boom Station (BS) 129 as shown in Figure

1.

2. If identification as per Step 1 indicates that your tailboom is not affected by this bulletin, (meaning that you hav e a tailboom assembly 407-030-801- 201/-203 or /-205 (or later) installed on your helicopter), annotate the helicopter technical records to indicate that your tailboom is not affected by this bulletin.

3. If identification as per Step 1 above indicates that you have one of the subject tailboom assembly, annotate t he helicopter technical records to indicate the date and the helic opter total time at which PART I of this bulletin is complied with.

4. Accomplish Part II within 25 hours of flight-t ime or 30 days following identification of affected tailboom under PART I of this bulletin.

PART II Preparation of tailboom asse mbly for Daily visual check (under PART III) and for 100 Hour-10X magnifying glass inspection (under Part IV).

1. Remove the paint and prim er from the left side only of your tailboom in the areas ( 1.5 inch X 2 inch( 38.1 mm X 50.8 mm)) shown under Figure 2 as follows;

-CAUTION- Once the paint and the primer is removed, and following initial 10X magnifying glass inspection, the unpainted surfaces must be protected fr om corrosion by application of a clear paint coating (see c onsumable material section for details).

a) Use soap (C-318) prepared in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations to clean all exhaus t residues and dirt from the tailboom surfaces shown in Figure 2.

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b) Refer to Figure 2 and use a felt marker to layout each area where the paint must be removed.

c) Use Aluminum tape (C-439) to ma sk external area of each section identified in previous step. Make sure you put sufficient pressure over complete surfaces and edges of tape to get ultimate adhesion to the painted surfaces.

-NOTE- Do not remove sealant if present at edge of the upper stabilizer attachment support, at this time. This will be done later.

-CAUTION- Protect other areas of the tailboom and the horizontal stabilizer from the paint stripper.

d) Use a 2 inch wide (or smaller) pai nt brush and apply a thin coat of paint stripper (C-436) to each area. Wait a few minutes until all paint and primer is separating from the tailboom skin surface. Use clean cloth to wipe paint, primer and st ripper residues. Re-apply new stripper as required. Repeat this process until the bare tailboom Aluminum skin is revealed (normally 2 or 3 times should suffice).

e) Rinse reworked surfaces with soft water until all traces of paint stripper compound is removed. Wi pe again the surfaces with dry cloth. If sealant is present at edge of stabilizer attachment support, remove it at this time with a plastic scrapper (or equivalent tool) but be careful not to damage the tailboom skin during removal process.

f) Inspect both areas using a 10X magnifying glass. Pay close attention near edges of the stabilizer upper attachment support.

g) If a crack is found, replace the ta ilboom before next flight and notify Bell Helicopter Product Support Engineering department.

h) If another affected tailboom is inst alled on the helicopter, proceed with PART II or PART III of this bulletin, as applicable, prior to next flight.

-NOTE- Clear enamel coating applied from a spray can is acceptable as an alternate to the clear polyurethane coating (C-245).

i) If no crack is found, make sure both surfaces are dry and protect each reworked area with a thin coat of clear coating(C-245). Do not re-apply sealant if removed previously.

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j) Let the clear coating dry and remove the Aluminum tape.

PART III Daily visual check.

-NOTE- This check requires no special tool but the paint and primer must be initially removed from the tailboom skin surface in accordance with PART II. Compliance with this Daily check can be accomplished by the pilot as part of his preflight check.

-NOTE- Do not remove the clear paint coating to comply with this daily check.

-NOTE- If your helicopter has not flown since accomplishment of PART II , start the daily checks at the second forthcoming day of flight.

1. Before the first flight of the day, do a check for cracks in the areas where paint was removed on the left side of the tailboom assembly, as follows;

a) Use a clean cloth moistened with aircraft soap (C-318) prepared in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations, as required, to remove any exhaust residues or dirt from both areas to look at, as shown in Figure 2.

b) Make sure that the tailboom skin is clean and t hat adequate lighting exists. Visually look at the two ar eas where original paint and primer was removed and protected with clear paint coating. Look for a crack at a distance not exceeding more than 12 inches (30.48 cm) from eyesight.

c) Pay close attention near the edge of the stabilizer upper support.

d) If a crack is found, replace the ta ilboom before next flight and notify Bell Helicopter Product Support Engineering department.

e) If another affected tailboom is inst alled on the helicopter, proceed with PART II or PART III of this bulletin as applicable, prior to next flight.

f) If no crack is found, the intent of PART III is complete.

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2. Make an entry in the helic opter records to show that PART III of this bulletin is completed.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 before each firs t flight of the day thereafter.

4. Comply with subsequent 100 Hour inspection requirements described in PART IV when time is reached.

PART IV: 100 Hour inspection re quirements for tailbooms 407-530- 014-101 /-103 and tailboom 407-030-801-107.

-NOTE- PART IV changes the intervals of the scheduled inspection mandated by Revision 23 of the Chapter 4 of the Maintenance Manual (BHT-407 -MM-1, Table 4.2) for all tailbooms listed in the subject bl ock. It also supersedes the inspection requirements as defined under PART V of Alert Service Bulletin 407-01-48 (Revision “B”).

1. Gain access to the areas to be ins pected by removing both driveshaft covers and both gearbox fairings halves from your tailboom assembly. Refer to (BHT- 407-MM-5, Chapter 53).

2. Clean the complete tailboom assembly (including the horizontal stabilizer, the two auxiliary finlets and the vertical fin) with aircraft s oap (C-318) prepared in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendati ons to remove all traces of dirt, stains, exhaust residues and oil.

3. Examine the complete tailboom assembly P/N 407- 530-014-101/-103 or tailboom 407-030-801-107 ev ery 100 Hours of operati on for general condition, loose rivets, cracks or any other type of damage. Pay close attention to Area “A” indicated in Figure 3 for the left side of the tailboom.

a) If a crack is found, replace the ta ilboom with a serviceable unit prior to next flight and notify Bell Helic opter Product Supp ort Engineering department.

b) If any other type of damage is f ound, refer to the negligible damage limits found in Chapter 53 of your maintenanc e manual or contact Product Support Engineering department for assistance.

4. Inspect for loose rivets in region show n in Figure 3, Area “A” and especially in Details “E”, “F”, “G”, “H”, “I” and Views “D” and “J”. If a loose rivet or fastener is found, remove it per standard practi ces and inspect hole for cracks using a

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10X magnifying glass. If no crack is foun d, install correct diameter rivet or fastener (Ref. BHT-206-SRM-1, section 3).

5. If no loose rivets or fasteners are found loose, use a 10X magnifying glass and examine tailboom skin at edge of mating suppor ts/brackets and around fasteners shown in Figure 3, Details “E”, “F”, “G”, “H”, “I” and View “D”.

6. On left side of tailboom, use a 10X magnifying glass and examine tailboom skin at edge of mating supports/brackets and around fasteners shown in Figure 3 Area “C” and View “J”.

a) Pay close attention to both areas where clear paint coating exists.

b) Make sure that the clear paint c oating is in good condition and it does not obstruct inspection of the ar ea (not opaque). If coating needs replacement, refer to PART II.

c) Make sure the skin is not corroded.

7. If any crack is found in Step 3 through Step 6 above, replace the tailboom with a serviceable unit before the next fli ght and notify Bell He licopter Product Support Engineering depar tment. If corrosion is found, refer to Chapter 53 of your maintenance manual for negligible damage limit or contact Product Support Engineering with details for assistance.

8. If another tailboom affected by this bu lletin is installe d on the helicopter, proceed with PART II or PART III of this bulletin, as applicable, prior to next flight.

9. If no crack is found, annotat e the helicopter technical records to indicate that PART IV of this bulletin is complied with and return the tailboom to flight status.

10. Carry subsequent Daily inspections as per PART III.

11. Repeat this inspection every 100 flight-hours thereafter.

AFFECTED TAILBOOMS, GENERAL MAINTENANCE

1. Maintain your tailboom in accor dance with your 407 Maintenance Manual BHT-407-MM-1 and the BHT corrosion control guide CSSD-PSE-87-001.

2. Inspect your tailboom as per applic able requirements and recurring intervals as described herein.

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BS - MODIFICATION PLATE

125.74 (REF ASB-407-01-48) REF FWD

EXISTING DATA PLATE

LOOKING DOWN AT TAILBOOM 07538_001 Figure 1. Location of identification plate, tailbooms 407-530-014-101, 407- 530-014-103 or 407-030-801-107

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1.5 IN (38.1 mm) 2.0 IN (50.8 mm) B.S. 120.75 REF + + Tailboom assembly (Ref.) Horizontal stabilizer (Ref.) Upper support (Ref.) Lower support (407-023-800-121) Paint and primer to be removed from these areas (see PART II). Examine these areas for cracks on left side of tailboom only. 3. Horizontal stabilizer not shown for clarity. Daily check area NOTES

2.0 IN (50.8 mm 07538_009 Figure 2. Daily check, tailbooms 407-530-014-101, 407-530-014-103 or 407- 030-801-107

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140.428 REF BS федора. 107.397

REF AREA D BS _ AREA A

72.370 REF AREA C BS

90.00 REF AREA B 07538_002 BS

39.00 REF 100 HOUR VISUAL INSPECTION 8 CRITICAL INSPECTION AREAS (SEE DETAILS) Figure 3. 100 Hour inspection of tailbooms 407-530-014-101, 407-530-014-103 and 407-030-801-107 (Sheet 1 of 7).