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# EMERGENCY 

# ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN

SUBJECT: FUSELAGE

Check of the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame

ATA: 53

AIRCRAFT

CONCERNED NUMBER Version(s)

Civil Militar y
EC130 05A017 B4, T2



### Revision No. Date of issue

Revision 0 2014-06-06

Revision 1 2014-06-13

Revision 2 2015-02-20



### Summary:

Visual check for cracks on the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame.



### Reason for last Revision:

The purpose of Revision 2 is: - to propose the possibility of inspecting the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame from outside

. - to provide details in paragraph 1.G. “Manpower”. - to introduce an inspection periodicity expressed in sl ing cycles for helicopters which carry out external load

carrying operations.



### Compliance:

Compliance with this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN is mandatory. For the attention of

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### 1. PLANNING INFORMATION

1.A. EFFECTIVITY

1.A.1. Helicopters/installed equipment

On all EC130 B4 and T2 helicopters.

1.A.2. Non-installed equipment

Not applicable.



### 1.B. ASSOCIATED REQUIREMENTS

Not applicable.



### 1.C. REASON

Revision 0:

On the EC130 B4 tail boom / Fenestron junction frame, two cases of cracks were found in a new area of the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame during non-scheduled inspections.

Examination revealed that t he crack initiated in the radius between the web and the flange on the tail cone side, in the lower RH part of the tail boom / F enestron junction frame (Detail A, Figure 1). It spread rapidly, following the radius along the web of the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame. The cracks are of considerable length and no deterioration is visible from outside the helicopter.

The inspection of this area which can reveal thes e cracks is scheduled at the "600 hours // 2 years" inspection. Information Notice (IN) No. 2167-I-53 was issued on J une 15, 2010 to specify the applicable maintenance. Considering the cases encountered in serv ice, this periodicity is unsuitable.

In these conditions and under high tail rotor thrust load, the resistance margins of this junction may be

insufficient.

Consequently, Airbus Helicopters makes compliance wi th this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN mandatory. Its purpose is to enable a detailed visual check from inside the tail boom.

Revision 1:

The purpose of Revision 1 is to refer to the flying hours logged by the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame instead of the flying hours logged by the helicopter, in paragraph 1.E.2.

Revision 2:

Compliance with the previous revisions of this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN required an inspection from
inside the tail boom, with or without removal of the stabilizer. As this inspection from inside can be complex, t he purpose of Revision 2 of this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN is to propose an alternative inspection fr om outside the tail boom, which is possible following compliance with Service Bulletin No. 53-029, and to def ine who is allowed to perform the different checks.

Furthermore, a follow-up in sling cycles has been added for helicopters which carry out external load carrying operations.

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### 1.D. DESCRIPTION

Compliance with this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN consists in checking that there are no cracks on the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame.



### 1.E. COMPLIANCE

1.E.1. Compliance at the works

Not applicable.

1.E.2. Compliance in service

Helicopters/installed equipment :

a) For helicopters on which SB No. 53-029 has not been complied with

For helicopters equipped with a tail boom / Fenestron junction frame which has logged less than 690 flying

hours: Comply with paragraph 3.B.1. at the latest when reaching 700 flying hours.
Then, Comply with paragraph 3.B.1. or 3.B. 2. at intervals not exceeding 25 flyi ng hours or 390 sling cycles - Refer to the NOTE - (the first limit reached is applicable).

For helicopters equipped with a tail boom / Fenestron junction frame which has logged 690 or more flying

hours: Comply with paragraph 3.B.1. within 10 flying hours follo wing receipt of Revision 1 of this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN issued on June 13, 2014, unless compliance was ensured in accordance with Revision 0.
Then, Comply with paragraph 3.B.1. or 3.B. 2. at intervals not exceeding 25 flyi ng hours or 390 sling cycles - Refer to the NOTE - (the first limit reached is applicable).

b) For helicopters on which SB No. 53-029 has been complied with

Comply with paragraph 3.B.3. at intervals not exceed ing 10 flying hours or 250 sling cycles - Refer to the NOTE - (the first limit reached is applicable).



### NOTE

Cycles are counted as follows: 1 landing with or without stopping the rotor = 1 cycle 1 external load carrying operation = 1 cycle

Non-installed equipment: Not applicable.

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### 1.F. APPROVAL

Approval of modifications:

Not applicable.

Approval of this document:

The technical information contained in this AL ERT SERVICE BULLETIN Revision 0 was approved
on June 06, 2014 under the authority of EASA Design Organization Appr oval No. 21J.056 fo r helicopters of civil versions subject to an Airworthiness Certificate.

The technical information contained in this AL ERT SERVICE BULLETIN Revision 1 was approved
on June 13, 2014 under the authority of EASA Design Organization Appr oval No. 21J.056 fo r helicopters of civil versions subject to an Airworthiness Certificate.

The technical information contained in this AL ERT SERVICE BULLETIN Revision 2 was approved on February 20, 2015 under the authori ty of EASA Design Organization Ap proval No. 21J.056 for helicopters of civil versions subject to an Airworthiness Certificate.

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### 1.G. MANPOWER

For compliance with this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN, Airbus Helicopters recommends the following personnel qualifications:

Qualification: - 1 Technician to comply with paragra phs 3.B.1, 3.B.2, 3.B.3.(a) and (b). Or,
- 1 Pilot to comply with paragraph 

### 3.B.3.(a).

Or, - 1 Person appropriately trained and certified, in accordance with the local regulations in force, to comply with

paragraphs 3.B.2, 3.B.3.(a) and (b).

The time for the operations is given for information purposes, for a standard configuration.

Time for the operations: approximately 1 hour to co mply with paragraph 3.B.1. (with removal of the stabilizer) approximately 30 minutes to comply with paragraph 3.B.2. (without removal of the stabilizer) approximately 10 minutes to co mply with paragraph 3.B.3.



### 1.H. WEIGHT AND BALANCE

Not applicable.



### 1.I. EFFECT ON ELECTRICAL LOADS

Not applicable.



### 1.J. SOFTWARE MODIFICATION EMBODIMENT RECORD

Not applicable.



### 1.K. REFERENCES

Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM): AMM: 55-11-00,4-1: Removal/Insta llation - Horizontal stabilizer

Standard Practices Manual (MTC): - MTC: 20.04.01.102: Use of cleaning pro ducts on individual parts and on aircraft

- MTC: 20.02.09.101: Crack detection th rough dye-penetrant inspection: General - MTC: 20.02.09.601: Checking st ructural parts/components using the dye-penetrant procedure



### 1.L. DOCUMENTS AFFECTED

Not applicable.



### 1.M. INTERCHANGEABILITY OR MIXABILITY OF PARTS

Not applicable.

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### 2. MATERIAL INFORMATION

2.A. MATERIAL: PRICE - AVAILABILITY - PROCUREMENT

Not applicable.



### 2.B. INFORMATION CONCERNING INDUSTRIAL SUPPORT

Not applicable.



### 2.C. MATERIAL REQUIRED FOR EACH HELICOPTER/COMPONENT

Products to be ordered separately:

As per the Tasks specified in this ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN:

The products can be ordered separately from t he INTERTURBINE AVIATION LOGISTICS company.

Website: http://www.interturbine.com Telephone: +49.41.91.809.300

AOG: +49.41.91.809.444



### 2.D. MATERIAL TO BE RETURNED

Not applicable.

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### 3. ACCOMPLISHMENT INSTRUCTIONS

3.A. GENERAL

NOTE 1

Contact details of the Airbus Helicopters Customer Service Technical Support Department: Tel.: +33 (0)4.42.85.97.89. Fax: +33 (0)4.42.85.99.66.

E-mail: support.technical-airframe.ah@airbus.com



### 3.B. OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE

3.B.1. Inspection of the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame from inside the tail boom with removal of the

stabilizer

As per Figures 1 and 3:

- Remove the horizontal stabilizer as per AMM Task 55-11-00,4-1. - If necessary, clean the area to be checked defined in figure 1 of the junction frame (a)

(see detail A and cross-section B-B) as per MTC Work Card 20.04.01.102.



### NOTE 2

For this inspection, the surface of the frame must be clean.

- Check that there are no cracks on the web of the frame (a) and in the radius between the web and the

flange on the tail cone side. Pay particular attention to the area around the 4 sp ars (b). (See Detail C) . If in doubt, perform a local non-destructive inspection of the inspection area (e.g. dye-penetrant inspection

as per MTC Work Cards 20.02.09.101 and 20.02.09.601). Then interpret the results as per paragraph 3.B.4.

3.B.2. Inspection of the tail boom / Fenestron junction frame from inside the tail boom without removal of the

stabilizer

As per Figures 2 and 3:



### NOTE 3

For this inspection, the surface of the frame must be clean.

- Using a borescope through the stab ilizer opening, check that there are no cracks on the web of the frame

(a) and in the radius between the web and the flange on the tail cone side. Pay particular attention to the area around the 4 spars (b). (See Detail C) . If in doubt, perform a local non-destructive inspection of the inspection area (e.g. dye-penetrant inspection

as per MTC Work Cards 20.02.09.101 and 20.02.09.601).

Then interpret the results as per paragraph 3.B.4.

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### NOTE 4

This inspection can only be performed following compliance

with Service Bulletin No. 53-029.

As per Figure 4:

a) Check that there are no cracks on frame (a) in the area of the skin cut-outs (upper and lower RH side, upper and lower LH side) (See Detail A - Figure 4). Only the RH side is shown in Figur e 4. The LH side is identical. b) If in doubt, perform a local non-destructive inspec tion of the inspection area (e.g. dye-penetrant inspection as per MTC Work Cards 20.02.09.101 and 20.02.09.601).



### CAUTION

THIS CHECK MUST BE PERFORMED IN THE NONPAINTED, CLEAN AREA.

Then interpret the results as per paragraph 3.B.4.

3.B.4. Interpretation of the results

a) If there are no cracks:

. Leave as is. . If previously removed, install the horizonta l stabilizer as per AMM Task 55-11-00,4-1. . Resume flights.

b) If any cracks are found: Before resuming flights: . Contact Airbus Helicopters to define the conditio ns for returning the helicopter to conformity

(refer to NOTE 1).



### 3.C. IDENTIFICATION

Identification of this document:

Record first compliance with this ALERT SER VICE BULLETIN in the helicopter documents.



### 3.D. OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

For helicopters on which SB No. 53-029 has been complied with:

Comply with paragraph 3.B.1. or 3. B.2. (inspection from inside th e tail boom) every 660 flying hours (T inspection).

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Check of the frame with removal of the stabilizer 

# A

a Cross-section

B-B

Fenestron



### DETAIL A – View looking aft

a b

b b 

# C

DETAIL C Tail boom

B B

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Check of the frame without removal of the stabilizer Borescope insertion 

## A

a Cross-section

B-B

Fenestron



### DETAIL A – View looking aft

a b

b b



# C DETAIL C Tail boom

B

B



### b

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crack Example of a

crack

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Check of the frame from outside 

# A

Cut-out following compliance

with SB No. 53-029

Schematic representation

of a crack with skin cutout Only the RH side is

shown.

The LH side is

identical to the RH

side.



### a