Is AD 2003-08-53 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

No — AD 2003-08-53 is a one-time directive. Verify it was complied with in the aircraft's records.

Which aircraft does AD 2003-08-53 apply to?

AD 2003-08-53 applies to Eurocopter — models SA365N1, AS365N2, AS365N3, SA366G1, SA365, AS365, SA366. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2003-08-53

one-time

Official AD 2003-08-53 · FR doc 03-14134 · 2003-06-05 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter France Model SA-365N1, AS365-N2, AS 365 N3, and SA-366G1 Helicopters

What this AD requires

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting a superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2003-08-53, sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the specified Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) model helicopters by individual letters. This AD requires, in addition to the checks and tapping test inspections required in the existing AD, adding the Eurocopter Model AS 365 N3 to the applicability and correcting tail rotor blade (blade) part numbers. Also, this AD requires doing tapping tests for bonding separation on blades and removing certain blades at specified intervals. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of a blade, loss of tail rotor control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Which aircraft AD 2003-08-53 applies to

MakesEurocopter

ModelsSA365N1, AS365N2, AS365N3, SA366G1, SA365, AS365, SA366

Part-conditional — 365A33-2131 (all dash numbers), 365A12-0010 (all dash numbers), 365A12-0020-00, 365A12-0020-01, 365A12-0020-02, 365A12-0020-03.

Applies only to helicopters with an affected tail rotor blade installed (P/N 365A33-2131 all dash numbers, 365A12-0010 all dash numbers, or 365A12-0020-00/-01/-02/-03).

Whether AD 2003-08-53 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:

Method of compliance — The specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.

Date — When the work was done.

Aircraft time — Total time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.

Signature & certificate — The A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.

Is AD 2003-08-53 complied with on your aircraft?

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.