Robinson R66

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various helicopters modified by certain supplemental type certificates (STCs) that approve the installation of an emergency float kit or an emergency float with a liferaft kit. This AD was prompted by the results of an accident investigation and subsequent reports of difficulty pulling the emergency float kit activation handle installed on the pilot cyclic. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the pull force on the float activation handle and for certain model helicopters, this AD also requires and replacing certain part-numbered float inflation reservoirs (reservoirs) and pull cable assemblies (cables) with other part-numbered reservoirs and cables. Finally, this AD prohibits installing certain part-numbered reservoirs and cables on specific helicopters. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R22, R22 Alpha, R22 Beta, R22 Mariner, R44, R44 II, and R66 helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of helicopters losing a tail rotor blade (TRB) tip cap. This AD requires visually checking and inspecting certain part-numbered and serial-numbered TRB tip caps for evidence of corrosion and, depending on the results, removing the corrosion. This AD also requires removing all affected TRBs from service and prohibits installing them on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-19- 08, which applied to certain Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. AD 2021-19-08 required checking each tail rotor blade (blade) for any crack and removing any cracked blade from service. AD 2021-19-08 also required removing all affected blades from service and prohibited installing any affected blade on any helicopter. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-19-08, it was determined that an additional model helicopter and additional blades are affected by the unsafe condition. This AD requires the same actions as AD 2021-19- 08 and adds certain Robinson Model R66 helicopters to the applicability and adds additional part-numbered and serial-numbered blades to the applicability. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.