Is AD 03-4478 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

No — AD 03-4478 is a one-time directive. Verify it was complied with in the aircraft's records.

Which aircraft does AD 03-4478 apply to?

AD 03-4478 applies to Agusta — models A109. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 03-4478

one-time

AD 03-4478 · 2003-02-28 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. Model A109E Helicopters

What this AD requires

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2002-25-51, sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of the specified Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) helicopters by individual letters. This Airworthiness Directive (AD) requires reducing the tail rotor (T/R) blade life limit and modifying and re-identifying the T/R hub and grip assembly. It also clarifies the never-exceed speed (Vne) restrictions and modifies the T/R visual inspection intervals. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent fatigue failure of the T/R blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Which aircraft AD 03-4478 applies to

MakesAgusta

ModelsA109

Part-conditional — 109-8132-01-111.

Establishes a 200-hour TIS life limit on tail rotor (T/R) blade P/N 109-8132-01-111; requires Vne placard/reduction of 28 KIAS, repetitive 5-hour visual and dye-penetrant T/R blade crack inspections per Agusta Alert Bollettino Tecnico 109EP-30 Rev B; modifying the T/R hub and grip assembly per the ABT removes the Vne restriction and restores blade life limit to 1,000 hours TIS. Specific model/serial applicability text (preceding this excerpt) was not captured in the source slice.

Whether AD 03-4478 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

Supersession

Supersedes AD 2002-17-51.

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 03-4478 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.