AVIATION C I V I L E

GROUPEMENT POUR LA SECURITE
AVIATION
C I V I L E
BR 2004/21(A)
DGAC
BULLETIN DE
RECOMMANDATION
Edité par
:
DGAC FRANCE
Le
:
13 OCTOBRE 2004
TITRE :
FIXATIONS ANTENNES DE RECEPTION SATCOM CP-2
DE CHEZ OUTERLINK CORPORATION
MATERIELS CONCERNES :
Hélicoptères BELL TEXTRON 206 et 407.
DOCUMENT D'ORIGINE :
FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SW-04-92 du 30 septembre 2004.
RECOMMANDATION :
Les propriétaires et utilisateurs d’hélicoptères BELL TEXTRON 206 et 407 sur lesquels
des antennes de réception CP-2 Satcom de chez Outerlink Corporation sont montées,
ainsi que les organismes d’entretien, sont invités à suivre les recommandations du
document dont le texte est joint.
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SPECIAL
AIRWORTHINESS
INFORMATION
BULLETIN
Aircraft Certification Service
Washington, DC
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
No. SW-04-92
September 30, 2004
www.faa.gov/certification/aircraft
This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin alerts you, owners and operators of certain Bell
Helicopter Textron rotorcraft models (listed below) with Outerlink Corporation CP-2 Satcom
System installed when the CP-2 receive antenna is installed in accordance with Outerlink Corporation
drawing no. N000-1633, or similar design, of possible antenna mount failure.
Bell Helicopter Textron
206A installed per STC SR00120BO
206B installed per STC SR00120BO
206L installed per STC SR00120BO
206L-1 installed per STC SR00120BO
206L-3 installed per STC SR00120BO
206L-4 installed per STC SR00120BO
407 installed per FAA Field Approval
Background
During a preflight inspection, the pilot of a Bell 206 discovered that the mounting bracket for the CP
2 Satcom receive antenna had separated from the helicopter due to vibration fatigue. The antenna
mount is typically fabricated by the installing agency from 2024-T3 0.040" thick sheet aluminum. It
is installed on the fin cap of the vertical fin using eight blind fasteners. The antenna coax was torn
from the antenna upon separation of the antenna from the tail. Fortunately, the antenna mount didn’t
make contact with the tail rotor. Approximately 3000 flight hours had accumulated on the helicopter
since the CP-2 system was installed.
Recommendations
We highly recommend that you use a 10x magnifying glass and immediately inspect the CP-2
receive antenna mounting bracket for signs of fatigue cracking in the area along and directly above
the rivet line where the bracket mounts to the vertical tail fin cap. You should repeat inspections
every 25-50 flight hours or until the bracket is permanently removed from the rotorcraft. The STC
holder is currently investigating other alternatives for mounting the CP-2 Satcom antenna.
We will continue monitoring this safety issue and may take further action such as issuing an AD in
the future.
For Further Information Contact : Richard Spencer, Aerospace Engineer, ANE-150, Boston
Aircraft Certification Office: phone: (781) 238-7184: email: [email protected]
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