AD/BELL 222/26 Amdt 1 - Main Rotor Grips and Pitch Horns

This AD is structured around a small set of technical and administrative concepts that determine operator behaviour, maintenance work scope, and record-keeping. Those concepts, as stated in the Directive text, are:

• Applicability: The AD applies only to the listed BHTC models (222, 222B, 222U, 230) fitted with Main Rotor Hub Assemblies Part Number 222-011-101- all dash numbers and Part Number 222-012-101- all dash numbers, and only where the rotor heads have 1,250 or more flight hours time in service. The ADR uses both model and part-number gating plus an hours threshold to define the affected population.

• Inspections and intervals: Three discrete inspection obligations are defined. A daily check (Requirement 1) for cracks; a more thorough visual inspection (Requirement 2) with a short-term compliance window and a 25-hour repeat interval thereafter; and a comprehensive 2,500-hour inspection (Requirement 3) tied to the maintenance manual Chapter 5 Rev 3. The Directive prescribes different starting points for the 2,500-hour inspection depending on whether the rotor head had already surpassed 2,500 hours at the effective date.

• Document provenance and approval: The inspection procedures must be performed in accordance with specific BHTC Alert Service Bulletins (listed revisions) or later Transport Canada approved revisions, and the maintenance manual chapter must be either Chapter 5 Revision 3 or a later Transport Canada approved revision. The Directive therefore conditions permissible procedures on Transport Canada approval of later revisions.

• Immediate grounding/remedial action rule: If a crack is found during any inspection, the affected part must be replaced before further flight, and the finding must be reported to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. This imposes a before-flight replacement rule for cracked parts.

• Maintenance certification and delegation: The Directive requires entry on the maintenance release. It allows the daily check to be performed and certified by the Pilot in Command if the pilot has been trained by an appropriately qualified person, and provided a copy of the Directive and applicable requirement document is carried in the aircraft.

• Inter-authority cross-reference: The AD explicitly refers to Transport Canada AD CF-2002-23R1 and revisions of documents approved by Transport Canada. Amendment 1 is stated to reflect the requirements of revisions of the related Transport Canada AD and Requirement documents, which introduced the enhanced inspection. This ties the domestic AD to a prior Transport Canada regulatory instrument and to multinational document approval.

• Effective date and amendment status: The Amendment becomes effective on 29 June 2005; the document is Amendment 1 to the original AD/BELL 222/26. The background explains that the Amendment 1 updates requirements to reflect revisions and adds the newly developed enhanced inspection.

These concepts determine the operational steps: identify if a helicopter is in the AD’s applicability, perform specified inspections at the mandated cadence using the specified documents, replace cracked parts before further flight, report findings to BHTC, record compliance on the Maintenance Release, and, where permitted, allow pilots to perform and certify the daily check after training and while carrying the Directive and documents.

The Directive defines its affected parties by aircraft make/model, part number, and hours-in-service thresholds, but it also imposes obligations and interacts with roles in the operational and maintenance chain.

Aircraft/operators:

• Owners and operators of BHTC Model 222, 222B, 222U, and 230 helicopters fitted with Main Rotor Hub Assemblies Part Number 222-011-101- all dash numbers, or Part Number 222-012-101- all dash numbers, are within the AD’s applicability where the rotor heads have 1,250 or more flight hours time in service. The Directive’s applicability line is a gating mechanism that establishes who must act.

Maintenance personnel and organisations:

• Licensed maintenance engineers or appropriately qualified persons will be required to perform the Part II visual inspections and the Chapter 5 2,500-hour inspection in accordance with the applicable BHTC Alert Service Bulletins or maintenance manual revisions that the Directive cites. The AD requires that the procedures used be those contained in the listed service bulletins or later Transport Canada approved revisions, which controls which maintenance documentation may be used.

Pilots:

• The Directive explicitly contemplates the Pilot in Command as a compliance actor: the Requirement 1 daily check may be performed and certified by the Pilot in Command who has been trained to do the inspection by an appropriately qualified person. That creates an operational pathway for pilots to perform immediate checks, subject to having received training and carrying a copy of the Directive and requirement document on the aircraft.

Bell Helicopter Textron (manufacturer):

• The Directive instructs reporting of any cracked part findings to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. This assigns Bell a role in receiving defect reports and suggests a data-collection and engineering response position for the manufacturer.

Regulator(s):

• The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the issuing authority, as shown by the Delegate’s signature. The AD also refers to Transport Canada AD CF-2002-23R1 and requires use of Transport Canada approved revisions for certain documents, so Transport Canada plays a documentary approval and historical reference role in the AD’s governance.

Maintenance release custodians:

• The Directive must be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. Persons responsible for aircraft records and maintenance release entries must ensure the AD entry is present and that compliance is recorded.

Third parties:

• Where a cracked part is found and replaced, the Directive requires reporting to BHTC Product Support Engineering; this creates an obligation on the operator or maintainer to communicate findings to the manufacturer.

Who pays:

• The Directive text requires replacement of failed parts before further flight and performance of inspections. The text does not specify funding or cost-sharing arrangements. From the obligations stated (inspection, replacement, reporting, record entry, and possible pilot training), the immediate fiscal burden falls on operators/owners and their maintenance providers, as they must perform the inspections, procure replacement parts if cracks are found, and effect record-keeping. The Directive itself does not specify any compensation mechanism or manufacturer-funded repairs.

Who decides:

• The Directive prescribes the required timing and documents and identifies who may perform and certify specific checks (pilot or qualified person). It requires the use of specified BHTC Alert Service Bulletins or later Transport Canada approved revisions and the applicable maintenance manual revision. The regulator (CASA) issues the Directive; Transport Canada approval influences permitted revisions. Bell Product Support Engineering is the recipient of reports and may influence follow-up engineering. The AD text allocates decision-making for compliance methods to these bodies and to the trained pilot where explicitly allowed.

The Directive sets out a compact set of duties and a narrowly defined delegation right for pilots. Each duty is express in the text; rights or permissions derive directly from the AD’s wording.

Duties (explicit):

• Carry out a daily check for cracking of the main rotor grips and pitch horns in accordance with the Part I instruction contained in the applicable BHTC Alert Service Bulletin (222-02-93 Rev A; 222U-02-64 Rev A; or 230-02-26 Rev A), or later Transport Canada approved revision(s). The Directive requires the daily check "unless the initial inspection has been accomplished" and "before further flight after 29 June 2005", and thereafter "at daily intervals unless Requirement Part 2 or 3 has been conducted on that day." This creates an ongoing daily inspection cadence until a more detailed inspection (Part 2 or Part 3) is performed that day.

• Perform the Part II visual inspection in accordance with the applicable BHTC Alert Service Bulletin Part II instruction within seven days or 10 hours time-in-service after 29 June 2005, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, perform this inspection at intervals not to exceed 25 hours time-in-service. This sets a short-term requirement to backstop the daily checks with a more thorough 25-hour cadence.

• Perform the 2,500 hour main rotor hub assembly inspection per Chapter 5 Revision 3 (or later Transport Canada approved revision) of the applicable maintenance manual. For rotor heads with less than 2,500 flight hours, perform the inspection upon accumulating 2,500 flight hours. For rotor heads with more than 2,500 flight hours as of the effective date, perform the inspection within six months or 300 flight hours after 29 June 2005. Thereafter, inspect at intervals not to exceed 2,500 flight hours.

• Replace any failed (cracked) part before further flight. The Directive is strict: "If a crack is found, replace the failed part before further flight."

• Report any cracked-part finding to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. The Directive requires communication to the manufacturer of defect occurrences.

• Enter the Directive and its compliance on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. The AD instructs that it "shall be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required," which creates a record-keeping obligation.

Duties (administrative and procedural):

• Use the specified documents to perform inspections: BHTC Alert Service Bulletin Part I/II instructions and Chapter 5 Rev 3 of the maintenance manual, or later Transport Canada approved revisions. The Directive ties permitted procedures to those documents and to Transport Canada approval for later revisions, shaping allowable compliance methods.

Rights and permissions (explicit):

• The Pilot in Command may perform and certify the Requirement 1 daily check if trained by an appropriately qualified person. This is an affirmative permission, conditional on training and carriage of documentation: "The Requirement 1 Daily Check may be performed and certified by the Pilot in Command who has been trained to do the inspection by an appropriately qualified person. In this case, a copy of this Directive and applicable Requirement document is to be carried in the aircraft."

• Operators retain choice over who performs Part II (25-hour) inspections and the Chapter 5 2,500-hour inspection, subject to applicable maintenance authority qualifications and the AD’s requirement to follow the specified documents. The AD does not prescribe who must carry out those inspections, other than conditioning the Pilot in Command exception to Requirement 1.

Limits and omissions in duties:

• The Directive does not set out any compensatory or warranty obligations by Bell Helicopter Textron for cost recovery. It requires reporting to BHTC but does not prescribe follow-up actions by the manufacturer. The AD does not contain penalty provisions or specify enforcement mechanisms; it requires entry on the Maintenance Release and sets effective dates and intervals. Any enforcement or sanctions are not described in the text provided.

Rights and protections:

• The AD allows a limited operational flexibility by permitting a trained pilot to perform and certify the daily inspection, enabling short-notice compliance without immediate maintenance shop resources, provided the documentary and training conditions are met. Aside from that pilot certification concession, the AD is prescriptive about inspection timing and replacement requirements.

The Directive text itself does not specify statutory penalties, fines, suspension regimes, or criminal sanctions. Its enforcement mechanisms are expressed as mandatory maintenance and record measures rather than as an explicit penalty schedule.

What the text does indicate about enforcement and mandatory compliance:

• Maintenance Release entry: The Directive mandates that it "shall be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required." That creates a formal presence in the aircraft’s maintenance documentation that can be audited. The presence of an entry on the Maintenance Release is a compliance checkpoint; absence of such an entry would be inconsistent with the Directive.

• Before-flight prohibition on cracked parts: The Directive requires replacement of cracked parts "before further flight." This is an explicit operational prohibition: aircraft found with cracked main rotor grips or pitch horns cannot continue to fly without replacement of the failed parts. The phrase "before further flight" acts as an immediate operational constraint enforceable through normal airworthiness oversight.

• Effective date and mandatory timing: The Directive becomes effective on 29 June 2005, and it prescribes precise compliance windows for the different inspection requirements. Failure to meet those windows would contravene the AD’s mandatory schedule.

What the text does not state:

• The Directive does not include any penalty provisions, monetary fines, or explicit enforcement processes, nor does it identify an administrative sanction on its face. The AD does not specify how CASA or another authority will enforce the Directive or what sanctions will follow non-compliance. The Directive likewise does not specify appeals processes or discretionary exemptions.

What the reader can infer from the text:

• Because the AD is a regulatory instrument issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (evidenced by the Delegate’s signature), the Directive’s requirements are mandatory for aircraft within its applicability. The AD’s requirements create record-keeping obligations and operational prohibitions that will typically be actionable by the regulator or by other oversight mechanisms, but the Directive itself does not state enforcement steps or penalty amounts. Any formal disciplinary, administrative, or legal enforcement action would arise from the broader regulatory framework or enforcement policies external to the AD text, which are not included in the provided document.

• The AD’s requirement to report cracked parts to Bell Helicopter Textron imposes an informational obligation; failure to report is not accompanied by an explicit penalty in the text, but the report requirement creates a traceable chain and could be material in subsequent regulatory or manufacturer responses. The Directive makes no provision for reimbursement of replacement part cost or manufacturer assumption of repair expense.

In short, the AD prescribes mandatory technical and administrative actions with precise timing and an explicit before-flight replacement rule, but it does not include an express penalty or enforcement schedule within the text provided.

The Directive interacts with other regulatory and technical documents by explicit reference and by conditioning permissible implementation on approvals from another national regulator. The AD text itself identifies several channels of interaction:

Reference to Transport Canada:

• The Directive explicitly refers to Transport Canada AD CF-2002-23R1. It states "Note: Transport Canada AD CF-2002-23R1 refers." Moreover, the AD requires that the BHTC Alert Service Bulletins and the maintenance manual Chapter 5 Revision 3 be used "or later Transport Canada approved revision(s)." That introduces a cross-jurisdictional conformity mechanism: later revisions are acceptable only if they are Transport Canada approved. The Amendment 1 text further states that it was issued "to reflect the requirements of revisions of the related Transport Canada AD and Requirement documents," indicating that the CASA AD is harmonised to the Transport Canada instrument and its updated requirements.

Interaction with manufacturer documents:

• The AD makes the content of certain BHTC Alert Service Bulletins and BHTC maintenance manual Chapter 5 part of the compliance standard by reference. The Part I and Part II instructions in the specific BHTC Alert Service Bulletins named (222-02-93 Rev A; 222U-02-64 Rev A; 230-02-26 Rev A) are prescribed as the inspection procedures, subject to later Transport Canada approved revisions. That makes the service bulletins and the maintenance manual de facto mandatory compliance documents for the purposes of this AD.

Maintenance Release and airworthiness records:

• The Directive requires entry on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. Maintenance Release systems and any statutory obligations for record-keeping will therefore be engaged. The AD’s direction to record the requirement on the Maintenance Release ties it into the broader record-keeping and certification regime that governs airworthiness documentation.

Manufacturer reporting obligations:

• The AD requires operators to report cracked-part findings to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. That reporting obligation links operator obligations under the AD with the manufacturer’s product support function. The Directive does not specify what Bell must do with such reports, but it asserts an informational interface.

Absence of statutory interaction in the text:

• The AD does not, within the provided text, reference any other specific Australian statutes, regulations, or enforcement provisions beyond identification of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority delegate and the reference to Transport Canada. The AD does not, in its body, specify how it sits within the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations or other Australian legislative instruments. Any further legal interactions would derive from the broader Australian aviation regulatory framework external to this document.

Practical effect of these interactions:

• Operators must follow the technical instructions in the specified service bulletins or Transport Canada approved later revisions; the AD does not permit alternative procedures except via those documents. This ties compliance actions to the content of the listed BHTC service documents and to Transport Canada approvals for subsequent revisions. Maintenance records and entries required by the AD will interact with existing record-keeping obligations and any regulatory audits.

The text provided is Amendment 1 to AD/BELL 222/26 and makes specific statements about the reason for and effect of that amendment.

Contents and purpose of Amendment 1:

• The Directive states that "Amendment 1 is issued to reflect the requirements of revisions of the related Transport Canada AD and Requirement documents, which introduce a newly developed enhanced inspection on the main rotor hub assembly." This identifies the immediate reason for the amendment as harmonisation with Transport Canada updates and incorporation of an enhanced inspection procedure for the main rotor hub assembly.

Effective date:

• The Amendment becomes effective on 29 June 2005. The document carries the signature date 23 June 2005 by the CASA Delegate, and the effective date is stated separately.

Prior AD:

• The text indicates that this instrument is an amendment; the original AD would have been AD/BELL 222/26. The Amendment 1 label shows this is the first amendment to that AD. The provided document does not supply the text of the original AD or the exact textual changes introduced by Amendment 1 beyond the description that it reflects Transport Canada revisions and adds the enhanced inspection.

Relation to Transport Canada AD:

• The Amendment explicitly references Transport Canada AD CF-2002-23R1 and states that the Amendment reflects revisions to the related Transport Canada AD and Requirement documents. That places Amendment 1 in a timeline where Transport Canada previously issued AD CF-2002-23R1 and later revised documents introduced enhanced inspection procedures that CASA adopted or mirrored in Amendment 1.

No further amendment chronology provided:

• The document does not contain a full amendment log, nor does it list prior revisions, sub-amendments, or a schedule of future amendments. Only Amendment 1 is present in the supplied text. There is no explicit expiry or supersession statement beyond the effective date for Amendment 1.

Summary:

• Amendment 1 updates AD/BELL 222/26 to align with Transport Canada revisions and to require an enhanced inspection; it took effect on 29 June 2005. The document does not set out the detailed textual changes from the original AD or provide a history of earlier AD actions beyond the reference to Transport Canada. Any further amendment history must be retrieved from CASA records or from the original AD text, which are not included in the supplied document.

The supplied Directive does not contain any litigation history or references to legal proceedings. The text mentions occurrences of cracked parts and operational safety responses but does not mention court cases, administrative appeals, or litigation involving the AD, the manufacturer, operators, or the regulator.

What is present in the document on this topic:

• The Background section describes safety events: "Transport Canada was advised of three occurrences of cracked main rotor grips and three occurrences of cracked pitch horns." Those are safety incident reports, not litigation.

What the Directive does not include:

• There is no mention of legal challenges, appeals, administrative reviews, or court decisions in respect of AD/BELL 222/26 or Amendment 1 in the supplied text. The AD does not record any judicial or tribunal outcomes.

Implications:

• The absence of litigation references in the Directive text means the AD contains no on-its-face record of disputes or jurisprudential treatment. If litigation exists concerning this AD, its existence and details are not provided in the supplied document and would need to be sought in external judicial or tribunal records. The Directive itself is limited to stating safety rationale, requirements, compliance timing, and the administrative issuance details.

This section highlights specific traps, precise technical or administrative details, and potential operational surprises that arise from the Directive’s wording. All items below are grounded in the Directive text.

Applicability thresholds are precise:

• The AD applies only to the listed models and specific Main Rotor Hub Assembly part numbers, and only where those rotor heads have 1,250 or more flight hours time in service. Helicopters that do not meet both the part-number and hours criteria are outside the AD’s applicability as written. Operators must check both model/part and accumulated hours to determine applicability. The text reads: "Applicability: BHTC Model 222, 222B, 222U, and 230 helicopters; equipped with Main Rotor Hub Assemblies Part Number 222-011-101- all dash numbers, and Part Number 222-012-101- all dash numbers, with 1,250 or more flight hours time in service."

Multiple inspection regimes running concurrently:

• Requirement 1’s daily check must be conducted "unless the initial inspection has been accomplished" and thereafter "at daily intervals unless Requirement Part 2 or 3 has been conducted on that day." This means that performing a Part 2 or Part 3 inspection on a given day obviates that day's Requirement 1 daily check. Operators must track which inspections were done each day to avoid unnecessary duplication or to ensure daily checks are still being done if Part 2/3 were not performed that day.

Short initial window for Part II inspection:

• Requirement 2’s initial compliance window is tight: within seven days or 10 hours time in service after 29 June 2005, whichever occurs first. For operators with frequent utilisation, the "10 hours" trigger can require action within a small number of flights. After the initial window, the Part II inspection interval is at most 25 hours time-in-service. Operators must track TIS and calendar time from the effective date.

Different regime for 2,500-hour inspection based on accrued hours:

• The 2,500-hour inspection is required differently depending on whether the rotor head had already exceeded 2,500 hours at the effective date. If under 2,500 hours, the inspection happens at 2,500 hours. If over 2,500 hours as at 29 June 2005 and not previously inspected per the new 2,500-hour inspection, the inspection must be done within six months or 300 flight hours after 29 June 2005. Operators must determine their rotor heads’ flight hours at the effective date to decide which timing applies.

Pilot certification permitted but conditioned:

• The Directive allows the Pilot in Command to perform and certify Requirement 1 only if trained by an appropriately qualified person and if a copy of the Directive and applicable Requirement document is carried in the aircraft. This permission is conditional on training and carriage of documents; absence of either condition would mean the pilot lacks authority to certify. The text is explicit about both the training requirement and the need to carry copies onboard.

Reporting obligation to manufacturer:

• If a crack is found, the Directive requires reporting to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. Operators should ensure that their reporting process includes the manufacturer and that they capture the required data for that report. The AD does not specify the report form or timing for the report beyond stating "Report finding to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering."

Maintenance Release entry mandatory:

• The Directive commands that it "shall be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required." That entails formal maintenance record-keeping and potentially influences aircraft dispatchability. Operators must make the entry and then ensure the maintenance release tracks compliance. Failure to enter the AD on the maintenance release would be non-compliance with the AD’s explicit textual requirement.

No penalty or enforcement detail in the AD:

• The Directive contains no expressed penalty provisions or enforcement mechanisms. Operators might wrongly assume that the AD contains a separate enforcement schedule. The AD’s prescriptive requirements are mandatory but the text does not detail penalties; any enforcement measures would arise under wider regulatory frameworks not recited in the Directive.

Document approval gate:

• The AD permits the use of the listed BHTC Alert Service Bulletins or "later Transport Canada approved revision(s)." Later revisions are acceptable only if Transport Canada has approved them. Operators relying on later manufacturer revisions must confirm Transport Canada approval to ensure compliance under the AD.

Replacement requirement may affect dispatchability:

• The express requirement to "replace the failed part before further flight" means a crack discovery grounds that component pending replacement. Replacement part availability and lead times therefore affect aircraft availability and operational schedules. The AD does not provide temporary repair or ferry flight provisions; the language requires replacement before further flight.

Background incidents imply recurring failure modes:

• The Background section states that Transport Canada was advised of three occurrences of cracked main rotor grips and three occurrences of cracked pitch horns, and that an "immediate need for repeated daily checks and 25 hour visual inspections" existed while investigations proceeded. That indicates the Directive responds to multiple occurrences and that the inspections were intended as a risk-mitigation interim measure until a terminating action or corrective design change is determined. Operators should record and monitor reporting interactions with Bell for any manufacturer advisories or modifications.

This section is a step-by-step synthesis of the compliance tasks, timescales, documentation and record-keeping obligations that the Directive imposes. Each step is derived from the Directive text.

1. Confirm applicability:

   • Verify that the helicopter is Model 222, 222B, 222U, or 230 and that the Main Rotor Hub Assembly fitted is Part Number 222-011-101- all dash numbers or Part Number 222-012-101- all dash numbers. Confirm the rotor head’s accumulated flight hours. The Directive applies only where the rotor head has 1,250 or more flight hours time in service.

2. Register the Directive on the Maintenance Release:

   • Enter AD/BELL 222/26 Amdt 1 on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required, as the Directive mandates. Maintain the entry for inspection and audit purposes.

3. Obtain and follow the specified technical documents:

   • For Requirement 1 and Requirement 2 work, obtain the relevant BHTC Alert Service Bulletin for your model:
     • 222-02-93 Rev A for Model 222, or 222U-02-64 Rev A for Model 222U, or 230-02-26 Rev A for Model 230, as applicable.
   • For the 2,500-hour inspection, obtain Chapter 5 Revision 3 of the applicable BHTC maintenance manual, or any later revision only if it is Transport Canada approved. The AD requires these specific documents or later Transport Canada approved revisions.

4. Implement the daily (Requirement 1) checks:

   • Unless the initial inspection has already been accomplished, perform the Requirement 1 daily check before further flight after 29 June 2005, and thereafter at daily intervals unless Part 2 or Part 3 inspection has been conducted on that day. The daily check procedures are set out in Part I of the relevant Alert Service Bulletin. Decide whether the daily check will be performed by maintenance personnel or by the Pilot in Command under the conditions below.

5. If delegating the daily check to a pilot:

   • Provide training for the Pilot in Command from an appropriately qualified person. Ensure the pilot can carry out and certify the inspection as required.
   • Ensure a copy of the Directive and the applicable Requirement document (the relevant Part I instruction) is aboard the aircraft when the pilot performs and certifies the check.

6. Schedule and perform the Part II visual inspection:

   • Perform the initial Part II inspection in accordance with the Part II instruction in the relevant Alert Service Bulletin within seven days or 10 hours time in service after 29 June 2005, whichever comes first.
   • Thereafter, perform the visual inspection at intervals not to exceed 25 hours time in service. Track flight hours to ensure recurrence occurs on schedule.

7. Implement the 2,500-hour inspection (Requirement 3):

   • If the rotor head currently has less than 2,500 flight hours, perform the specified 2,500-hour inspection upon accumulation of 2,500 flight hours using Chapter 5 Rev 3 of the maintenance manual (or later Transport Canada approved revision).
   • If the rotor head had already accumulated more than 2,500 flight hours as at 29 June 2005 and had not previously been inspected per the new 2,500 flight hour inspection, perform the inspection within six months or 300 flight hours after 29 June 2005.
   • Thereafter, repeat the 2,500-hour inspection at intervals not to exceed 2,500 flight hours.

8. If a crack is found:

   • Replace the failed part before further flight. The Directive is unqualified on this point. Do not return the aircraft to service with the cracked part in place.
   • Report the finding to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. The Directive requires that such a finding be reported.

9. Document all actions:

   • Record inspection outcomes and replacements on the Maintenance Release and in the aircraft’s maintenance records. The AD requires entry on the Maintenance Release.
   • Retain any training records for pilots who have been authorised to perform the daily check by an appropriately qualified person, and ensure the pilot carries a copy of the AD and the applicable Requirement document on the aircraft when performing the check.

10. Track approved document revisions:

• If you intend to use a later revision of any listed BHTC Alert Service Bulletin or the maintenance manual Chapter 5, confirm that the revision is Transport Canada approved, since the AD permits only "later Transport Canada approved revision(s)." Maintain documentation of Transport Canada approvals where applicable.

11. Coordination with manufacturer:

• On discovering a crack and replacing parts, submit the required report to Bell Helicopter Textron - Product Support Engineering. Maintain copies of all communications with the manufacturer as part of the compliance record.

12. Operational planning:

• Anticipate potential grounding for replacement where cracks are found. Plan logistics for spare parts procurement and maintenance slotting to minimise operational disruption.

13. Audit preparedness:

• Ensure Maintenance Release entries and inspection records are complete and readily produced for regulator audit or oversight. The AD’s instruction to enter on the Maintenance Release creates a tangible record that could be inspected by authorities.

14. Maintain awareness of further amendments:

• Amendment 1 was issued to reflect Transport Canada revisions and an enhanced inspection. Monitor CASA and Bell for any subsequent amendments or revised service documents that may be required to remain compliant.

Following these steps will align an operator’s maintenance practices with the explicit requirements of AD/BELL 222/26 Amdt 1 as contained in the supplied Directive text.