Airworthiness Directive 00-31012
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P; and Southwest Florida Aviation SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 Helicopters Manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. for the Armed Forces of the United States
What this AD requires
This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2000-22-51, which was sent previously by individual letters to all known U.S. owners and operators of Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH- 1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P; and Southwest Florida Aviation SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 helicopters manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) for the Armed Forces of the United States. This AD requires establishing a retirement life for certain main rotor masts, creating a component history card or equivalent record, and identifying certain masts as unairworthy. This AD also requires removing the hub spring, if installed, and determining whether a main rotor mast (mast) has ever been installed on a helicopter while operated with a hub spring. Conducting certain inspections based on the retirement index number (RIN) and on whether the helicopter was ever operated with a hub spring is also required. Replacing any mast that has inadequate radius or a burr in the damper clamp splined area is also required. Finally, this AD requires sending information concerning the mast to the FAA. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of a crack in a mast with a lower RIN value than the established life limit. This action is necessary to preclude the occurrence of a fatigue crack in the damper clamp splined area of a mast. This condition, if not corrected, could result in failure of a mast or main rotor trunnion (trunnion), separation of the main rotor system, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Which aircraft AD 00-31012 applies to
Applies to helicopters manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) for the Armed Forces of the United States (and Southwest Florida Aviation SW204/SW204HP/SW205/SW205A-1 variants), certificated in any category, with main rotor mast P/N 204-011-450-007, -105, or -109, or main rotor trunnion P/N 204-011-105-001, installed. Requires recalculating the Retirement Index Number (RIN) and revised hours time-in-service for the mast, removing masts at 265,000 RIN or 15,000 hours TIS, removing any hub spring, and expands S/N applicability (mast S/N 00000-52720, 61433-61444, 61457-61465) for a one-time special inspection.
Whether AD 00-31012 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.
How AD compliance is recorded
A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:
Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.
Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.