{"id":"F2006B06435","name":"AD/R22/3 Amdt 1 - Tail Rotor Transmission - Inspection","slug":"ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":47838,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B06435-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/R22/3 Amdt 1 - Tail Rotor Transmission - Inspection","content":"COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 \\- 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nRobinson R22 Series Helicopters\n\nAD/R22/3\n\nAmdt 1\n\n  \nTail Rotor Transmission \\- Inspection 4/81\n\nApplicability: All R22 series helicopters with serial numbers 0002 to 0099\\. Documents: 1. Robinson S.L. 6 (Serial Nos. 0002 to 0058 only.) and\n\n2. Robinson S.B. 7.\n\nCompliance: Within 10 hours time in service after 4 March 1981.\n\nNote: Helicopters previously inspected in accordance with AD/R22/3 need only have the drive shaft damper inspected additionally in accordance with para. 5 of S.B. 7.\n\nBackground: This directive is intended to prevent failure of A193-2 forward tail rotor coupling flex plate and loss of power to tail rotor and is issued as the result of receiving FAA AD 80-26-06 Amendment 39-3997. The Directive is raised in issue to include an expanded serial number range, and to introduce an inspection of the tail rotor drive shaft damper. Robinson S.L. 7 is replaced by Robinson S.B. 7.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This amendment broadened the group of affected aircraft and added a new inspection element. Specifically, it expands the serial-number range covered and introduces an inspection of the tail rotor drive shaft damper; it also replaces an earlier Robinson service letter with a later service bulletin (Background)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow and specific applicability (R22 serial numbers 0002–0099) reduces administrative complexity (Applicability).","Short, specific compliance timeframe (10 hours after 4 March 1981) increases operational urgency but keeps scope limited (Compliance).","Dependency on external manufacturer documents (Robinson S.L. 6 and S.B. 7) requires access to and reliance on technical procedures not reproduced in the AD (Documents).","A technical inspection (tail rotor transmission and drive shaft damper) requires specialised maintenance capability and technical competence.","A prior-inspection carve-out (Note) introduces a conditional requirement: some aircraft need only the additional damper inspection, so record-checking is necessary."],"plain_english_summary":"What this instrument does, mechanically\n\n- It requires an inspection of the tail rotor transmission on a specific set of Robinson R22 helicopters. The inspection must be completed within 10 hours time in service after 4 March 1981 (Compliance). (Applicability; Compliance)\n- The inspection procedure is set out in manufacturer documents: Robinson S.L. 6 (only for serial numbers 0002–0058) and Robinson S.B. 7 (Documents). (Documents)\n- If a helicopter was already inspected under the original AD/R22/3, only an additional inspection of the tail rotor drive shaft damper is required, following paragraph 5 of Robinson S.B. 7 (Note). (Note)\n\nWhy the authority says it was issued\n\n- The directive states its purpose is to prevent failure of the A193-2 forward tail rotor coupling flex plate and consequent loss of power to the tail rotor. The action was issued following the FAA AD 80-26-06 (Background). (Background)\n\nWho is affected and who decides\n\n- Affected parties: owners/operators of Robinson R22 series helicopters with serial numbers 0002 through 0099 (Applicability). (Applicability)\n- Decision-maker: the airworthiness authority issuing the Airworthiness Directive under the relevant Civil Aviation Regulations and the Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (header). The AD makes the inspection mandatory for the listed aircraft. (header; Compliance)\n\nWhat owners/operators must do and when\n\n- Arrange and carry out the specified inspection(s) within the 10-hour time window after 4 March 1981, using the referenced Robinson service documents. If the helicopter was inspected under the earlier AD, perform only the additional damper inspection specified in paragraph 5 of S.B. 7. (Compliance; Note; Documents)\n\nCosts, incentives, trade-offs and implementation notes (source-grounded)\n\n- Who pays: owners/operators must pay for the inspection work and any follow-up maintenance discovered by that work because the AD imposes the inspection requirement on those aircraft (Applicability; Compliance).\n- Compliance burden: the AD creates a short compliance window (10 hours time in service from 4 March 1981), which may require aircraft downtime and scheduling of maintenance resources; the precise inspection steps are in the manufacturer documents referenced (Compliance; Documents).\n- Implementation dependence: the directive depends on Robinson S.L. 6 and S.B. 7 for the technical procedure; access to and following those documents determines how the inspection is performed (Documents; Note).\n- Bureaucratic discretion: the AD is a mandatory airworthiness direction issued by the civil aviation authority; the technical content and any required follow-up actions are set by the referenced manufacturer service documents as adopted by the AD (header; Documents).\n- Risk and trade-offs: the stated benefit is reduced risk of a specific mechanical failure (A193-2 forward coupling flex plate) and consequent loss of tail rotor power; the trade-off is the inspection cost and aircraft downtime required to check and, if necessary, repair components (Background; Compliance).\n- Effects on private businesses: the AD creates immediate demand for maintenance labour and parts for the affected fleet because referenced inspections must be performed to comply (Documents; Compliance). The instrument does not change ownership, market entry, or contract rights as written; it only mandates a safety inspection for the listed serial numbers (source silence on market changes).\n\nChanges introduced in this amendment\n\n- The amendment expands the serial-number range covered and adds an inspection of the tail rotor drive shaft damper; it also replaces Robinson S.L. 7 with S.B. 7 (Background). (Background)"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This amendment performs exactly as intended for an Airworthiness Directive amendment: it expands the serial number range covered and adds one additional inspection requirement (the drive shaft damper). This is a routine, narrow-scope safety update that does not represent scope creep beyond the original purpose of preventing tail rotor transmission failures."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 200 words)","Only 2 defined/referenced documents (Robinson S.L. 6 and S.B. 7)","Single compliance deadline with one exception note","No nested conditional logic or cross-references to other legislation","Clear applicability criteria (specific serial number range)","Straightforward mechanical inspection requirement"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive (AD)** — essentially a mandatory safety order for aircraft owners and operators. It applies to specific **Robinson R22 helicopters** (serial numbers 0002 to 0099).\n\n**What it requires:**\n- Owners must inspect the **tail rotor transmission** within 10 hours of flying time after 4 March 1981.\n- Specifically, they must check the **A193-2 forward tail rotor coupling flex plate** — a component that connects parts of the tail rotor system.\n- There's also a new requirement to inspect the **tail rotor drive shaft damper** (a shock-absorbing component).\n\n**Why it matters:**\n- The flex plate can fail, causing **complete loss of power to the tail rotor**. Without the tail rotor, a helicopter cannot control its direction and will likely crash.\n- This directive expands an earlier safety order to cover more helicopters and adds the damper inspection based on updated manufacturer guidance.\n\n**Who must comply:**\n- Anyone operating R22 helicopters with serial numbers 0002–0099.\n- If you already did the earlier inspection (under the original AD/R22/3), you only need to do the additional damper check.\n\n**Key documents referenced:**\n- Robinson Service Letter 6 (for older serial numbers 0002–0058)\n- Robinson Service Bulletin 7 (replaces an earlier Service Letter 7)"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection","history":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-r22-3-amdt-1-tail-rotor-transmission-inspection/documents"}}