{"id":"F2006B04550","name":"AD/BELL 212/18 - Tail Rotor Pitch Horns - Inspection","slug":"ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":114279,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B04550-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/BELL 212/18 - Tail Rotor Pitch Horns - Inspection","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n \n\nBell Helicopter Textron 212 Series Helicopters\n\n \n\nAD/BELL 212/18 Tail Rotor Pitch Horns - Inspection 10/77\n\nApplicability: All models fitted with pitch change horns P/N 212-010-716-5 or -9. Document:  1. Bell SB No. 212-77-7; or\n\n2. FAA AD 77-17-03.\n\n \n\nCompliance: Within 25 hours time in service after 15 September 1977 and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 hours.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a discrete, single-issue airworthiness directive from 1977 addressing a specific mechanical component. It has not expanded beyond its original purpose of ensuring tail rotor pitch horn integrity through periodic inspection."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 150 words)","Only 2 defined part numbers for applicability","Simple binary compliance requirement (inspect by date, then repeat)","No nested conditions or exceptions","Single cross-reference to external technical documents (Bell SB and FAA AD)","No interpretation section or defined terms"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — essentially a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for specific Bell 212 helicopters.\n\n**What it does:**\nRequires owners and operators to inspect the **tail rotor pitch horns** (mechanical components that control the angle of the tail rotor blades) on certain Bell 212 helicopters. These specific parts are identified by part numbers ending in -716-5 or -716-9.\n\n**Who it affects:**\nAnyone operating Bell 212 helicopters fitted with those specific pitch horn part numbers — this includes commercial operators, emergency services, and private owners.\n\n**What must be done:**\n- **First inspection:** Must be completed within 25 flight hours after 15 September 1977\n- **Ongoing inspections:** Repeated every 100 flight hours thereafter\n\n**Why it matters:**\nTail rotor pitch horns are critical for helicopter control. If they fail, the pilot can lose directional control of the aircraft — a potentially catastrophic situation. This AD was issued because Bell Helicopter and the US FAA identified a safety issue requiring repeated inspection to catch cracks or wear before failure occurs.\n\n**Key documents referenced:**\n- Bell Service Bulletin 212-77-7 (manufacturer's technical notice)\n- FAA AD 77-17-03 (the equivalent US safety order that this Australian directive adopts)"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The AD text sets a specific, limited scope: inspections of tail rotor pitch change horns with two specified part numbers on Bell 212 series helicopters, following referenced documents and with fixed inspection intervals (Applicability; Document; Compliance). There is no indication in the text that the scope has been expanded or otherwise altered from that stated requirement."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow applicability: applies only to helicopters fitted with P/N 212-010-716-5 or -9 (Applicability).","Simple, time-based compliance schedule: initial inspection within 25 hours after a fixed date and repeating every 100 hours (Compliance).","Procedure delegated to external documents (Bell SB No. 212-77-7 or FAA AD 77-17-03), requiring operators to obtain and follow those documents (Document).","No alternative compliance paths, exemptions, or technical detail in the AD text increases reliance on referenced documents for execution (Document).","Historical initial compliance date introduces a record-interpretation issue for retrospective compliance checks (Compliance)."],"plain_english_summary":"This AD requires owners/operators of Bell 212 helicopters fitted with pitch‑change horns P/N 212‑010‑716‑5 or ‑9 to perform inspections per Bell SB 212‑77‑7 or FAA AD 77‑17‑03. The first check was due within 25 flight hours after 15 Sept 1977, with repeat inspections every 100 hours.\n\nIt matters because it creates a recurring maintenance obligation, costs for inspections/repairs, and affects scheduling and recordkeeping for affected operators and maintenance providers."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-bell-212-18-tail-rotor-pitch-horns-inspection/documents"}}