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TRANSLATION OF 

BOLLETTINO TECNICO N" 109-110 

The technical content of this document is approved 

under the authority of DOA nr. EASA.21J .005 

DATE July 28, 1999 

Compliance with 

this bulletin is: MANDATORY 

REv. A December 12, 2005 

THIS BOLLETTINO CANCELS AND SUPERSEDES THE BOLLETTINO TECNICO 

TELEGRAFICO W 109-5, DATED JANUARY 27, 1987. 

SUBJECT: INSPECTION FOR CRACKS OF TAIL ROTOR BLADES P/N lA 

109-0132-02-11/-15/-121 . 

REASON: To emphasize the importance of performing a detailed inspection of the 

subject tail rotor blades for cracks, already prescribed in Bollettino 

tecnico telegrafico no 109-5, dated January 27, 1987. 

HELICOPTERS AFFECTED: 

All Agusta helicopters A109A and A109AII equipped with tail rotor blades 

P/N 109-0132-02-11/-15/-121 with 400 (four-hundred) or more flight lA 

hours. 

COMPLIANCE: 

PART 1": 

NOTE 

Tail rotor blades P/N 109-0132-02-125 do 

not require compliance with this 

Bollettino. 

Upon receipt of this Bollettino for blades having accumulated 400 (four 

hundred) flight hours, if the Bollettino tecnico telegrafico no 1 09-5, dated 

January 27, 1987 has not been accomplished. 

PART II": 

Prior to the first flight of the day. 

PART Ill": 

Each 1 00 (hundred) flight hours. 

An appropriate entry should be mode in ' the aircraft lag book upon accomplishment 

If ownership of aircraft hos changed, please, forward to new owner. 

Page 1 of 6 lA 
B.T. 109-110 

DESCRIPTION: 

A second case has been reported of failure of one tail rotor blade P/N 

109-0132-02, followed by the loss of tail rotor and 90° gearbox assembly. 

The crack originated in the central area of the blade, in proximity of the 

tip of the root doubler in the chordwise sense. 

The scope of this Bollettino is to prescribe a visual inspection (PART II/\) 

and a liquid penetrant inspection (PART 1/\ and PART IW) for presence of 

eventual cracks. 

Subsequently new tail rotor blade P/N 109-0132-02-125 were designed 

and certified which have improved structural characteristics with respect 

to the blades P/N 109-0132-02-11/-15/-121 , and do not require 

compliance with this Bollettino. 

REQUIRED MANPOWER: 

The following estimated manpower hours are necessary, for each blade, 

for compliance with this Bollettino : 

PART 1/\: 1.5 manpower 

PART 11/\: negligible 

PART 111/\: 1 manpower 

WARRANTY: N.A. 

REQUIRED MATERIALS: 

The following consumable materials are 

Bollettino: 

necessary to accomplish this 

PART 1/\: 

SPECIFICATION 

MIL-R-25134 

MIL-L-81352 

or MIL-PRF-81352 

NOMENCLATURE 

Ardrox 204S, solvent 

(code 531 056779) 

Transparent acrylic lacquer 

Q.TY 

A.R. 

A.R. 

. In addition the materials indicated in the PART IW of this Bollettino are 

necessary. 

A I Page 2 of 6 

PART 11/\ : 

SPECIFICATION 

TT-N-95 

PARTE 111/\:. 

SPECIFICATION 

TT-N-95 

NOMENCLATURE 

Aliphatic naphtha 

(code 531 055030) 

NOMENCLATURE 

Aliphatic naphtha 

(code 531 055030) 

Materials to perform the liquid penetrant inspection: 

• visible dye penetrant P6R available from BRENT International, 

• dry developer 901 B available from BRENT International, 

Q.TY 

A.R. 

Q.TY 

A.R. 

• a white light source able to give an illuminance of at least 1000 lux on 

the area of inspection. 
B .T. 1 09-11 0 

Instead of the indicated penetrant and developer, other products can be 

used providing that: 

• they comply with the requirements ·of AMS 2644 (type 2 and method 

"C" for the penetrant and form "e" for the developer), 

• they are listed in the pertinent QPL-AMS-2644-1 , 

• they are (penetrant and dry developer) produced by the same 

company. 

SPECIAL TOOLS: N.A. 

WEIGHT AND BALANCE CHANGES: N.A. 

REFERENCES: 

Maintenance Manual. 

PUBLICATIONS AFFECTED: 

Maintenance Manual. 

Flight Manual. 

COMPLIANCE INSTRUCTIONS: 

NOTE 

The procedure reported below is applicable 

to each one of the two tail rotor blades, if 

affected by this Bollettino. 

PART 1": 

1. Identify and outline with adhesive tape the inspection area in 

accordance with figure 1 (blade upper and lower sides). 

2. Using solvent Ardrox 204S or equivalent (MIL-R-25134), remove 

the finish paint in the above area without removing the primer 

underneath. 

To remove the transparent paint, use solvent abundantly, in order to 

completely remove all paint residue. 

CAUTION 1 

Paint removal procedure is of the utmost 

importance. Failure to thoroughly remove all 

paint may lead to the occlusion of cracks. 

CAUTION 2 

Use of methylethylketone is not 

recommended as damage to the bonding 

agent may occur. 

Do not use abrasive materials to remove the 

paint to avoid damaging the areas of the 

blade. In case of presence of damage refer 

to the Maintenance Manual. 

Page 3 of 6 lA 
B.T. 109-110 

A I Page 4 of 6 

3. Perform the liquid penetrant inspection as follows: 

CAUTION 

Personnel conducting the liquid penetrant 

inspection for this specification must be 

qualified in accordance with the ASNT 

practice SNT-TC-1A or other equivalent 

practice or standard. 

The inspection shall comply with the 

requirements of ASTM E 1417. The blade, 

penetrant and ambient temperatures shall be 

in the range from 4 to 45 °C. 

3.1 . On the area of paint removal apply the penetrant for 30 to 40 

minutes of dwell time. 

NOTE 

Remove the excess of penetrant with a 

cheesecloth soaked with aliphatic naphtha or 

equivalent. The solvent shall not be poured 

directly on the inspection area. 

3.2. Apply a uniform and thin layer of developer by means of a powder 

bellows; after 10 to 15 minutes of developer time, illuminate the 

area at 1000 lux minimum and carefully inspect it. 

If presence cracks is detected, the blade must be removed from 

service. In this case, please inform Agusta immediately. 

NOTE 

The potential crack would be shown running 

in a straight line, exactly parallel to the blade 

chord; it does not therefore follow the contour 

of the doubler and it is clearly different from 

evidence of bonding agent porosity that may 

appear along the edge of the doubler. 

3.3. Upon completion of the inspection, if no cracks are found, clean 

the stripped areas with aliphatic naphtha , and protect with 

transparent acrylic lacquer in accordance with the Maintenance 

Manual. 

Return the helicopter in ready to fl ight condition. 

PART 11/\: 

1. Use a cheesecloth soaked with aliphatic naphtha or equivalent to 

clean the protected area with transparent lacquer of the tail rotor 

blade (ref. figure 1 ). 
B.T. 109-110 

2. Perform a visual inspection on blade upper and lower sides for 

cracks, if necessary use a 3 to 5 power magnifying glass. 

If presence of cracks is suspected perform the PART Ill" of this 

Bollettino. 

PART Ill": 

CAUTION 

In case of presence of other damage (nicks, 

dents, corrosion, etc.) on the metal refer to 

Maintenance Manual. 

1. Using solvent Ardrox 204S or equivalent (MIL-R-25134), remove 

the transparent lacquer in the identified area shown in figure 1 

(blade upper and lower sides), without removing the primer 

underneath. 

To remove the transparent lacquer use solvent abundantly, in 

order to completely remove all paint residue. 

CAUTION 1 

Paint removal procedure is of the utmost 

importance. Failure to thoroughly remove all 

paint may lead to the occlusion of cracks. 

CAUTION 2 

Use of methylethylketone is not 

recommended as damage to the bonding 

agent may occur. 

Do not use abrasive materials to remove the 

paint to avoid damaging the areas of the 

blade. In case of presence of damage refer 

to the Maintenance Manual. 

2. Perform the liquid penetrant inspection in accordance with 

paragraph 3. of PART I" of this Bollettino. 

If presence of cracks is detected, the blade must be removed from 

service. In this case, please inform Agusta immediately. 

Page 5 of 6 lA 
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Center of the blade retention bolt hole fifi~: 100mm ~oc:: '-...., 220 mm al 

h\J] Inspection area (upper and lower sides) 

FIGURE 1