This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts owners and operators of Robinson Helicopter Company models R22 and R44 that the rotor blade skin may begin to debond at the skinto-spar joint on the lower surface at the tip. The Robinson Helicopter Company has issued a safety alert warning of this condition. It is available on the company web site at www.robinsonheli.com. This SAIB applies to all R22, R22 Alpha, R22 Beta, R22 Mariner, R44, and R44 II helicopters with main rotor blades part number A016-4, C016-2 or C016-5.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) model helicopters that requires replacing a certain hydraulic drive belt (drive belt). Also required is reducing the lubrication time interval for a certain hydraulic pump drive shaft (drive shaft). This amendment is prompted by in-flight failures of the drive belt and the drive shaft. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent in-flight failure of the drive belt or drive shaft, loss of hydraulic power to the flight control system, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2006-26-51, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH (ECD) Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires, before further flight, marking the position of the tail rotor control lever dynamic weights (weights), removing the split pins and the weights, and visually inspecting and replacing, if necessary, the tail rotor control lever before further flight. This AD also requires, within 10 hours time-in-service (TIS), and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 25 hours TIS, repeating the visual inspection of the tail rotor control lever and replacing any unairworthy tail rotor control lever with an airworthy tail rotor control lever before further flight. Also required is reassembling the tail rotor control lever by following the appropriate maintenance instruction. This amendment is prompted by an in-flight incident in which the threaded portion of the tail rotor control lever containing a dynamic weight broke off leading to severe vibrations. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent separation of the weights in flight, severe vibration, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

For those who do not know the slang term of hot-doggin' as it relates to helicopter pilots: it is the term used to describe pilots who fly the helicopter at extreme attitudes, low level, high speed, or where people or property or both are put at risk for no reason other than to entertain the pilot or the passengers.