Airworthiness Directive 06-7577
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; Arrow Falcon Exporters, Inc. (Previously Utah State University); Firefly Aviation Helicopter Services (Previously Erickson Air-Crane Co.); California Department of Forestry; Garlick Helicopters, Inc.; Global Helicopter Technology, Inc.; Hagglund Helicopters, LLC (Previously Western International Aviation, Inc.); International Helicopters, Inc.; Precision Helicopters, LLC; Robinson Air Crane, Inc.; San Joaquin Helicopters (Previously Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Inc.) S.M.&T. Aircraft (Previously U.S. Helicopters, Inc., UNC Helicopter, Inc., Southern Aero Corporation, and Wilco Aviation); Smith Helicopters; Southern Helicopter, Inc.; Southwest Florida Aviation International, Inc. (Previously Jamie R. Hill and Southwest Florida Aviation); Tamarack Helicopters, Inc. (Previously Ranger Helicopter Services, Inc.); U.S. Helicopter, Inc. (Previously UNC Helicopter, Inc.); West Coast Fabrication; and Williams Helicopter Corporation (Previously Scott Paper Co.) Model HH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, and UH-1P Helicopters; and Southwest Florida Aviation Model SW204, SW204HP, SW205, and SW205A-1 Helicopters
What this AD requires
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the specified restricted category type-certificated helicopters. The AD requires a review of the helicopter records to determine the Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code of the tail rotor (T/R) slider. If the T/R slider is FAA approved or has a certain legible CAGE code, this AD requires no further action. If you cannot determine whether the T/R slider is FAA approved and it has no stamped CAGE code, an illegible stamped CAGE code, or an affected CAGE code, the AD also requires, before further flight and at specified intervals, magnaflux inspecting the T/R slider for a crack. If a crack is found, the AD requires, before further flight, replacing the T/R slider with an airworthy T/R slider. The AD also requires replacing the T/R slider with an airworthy T/R slider on or before accumulating 1,000 hours time-in-service (TIS) or on or before 12 months, whichever occurs first. This amendment is prompted by two accidents attributed to sub-standard T/R sliders that failed during flight. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of a T/R slider, loss of T/R control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Which aircraft AD 06-7577 applies to
Manufacturer 'Bell' inferred from model designations (UH-1/HH-1/TH-1 series); not literally named in the extracted slice, which opens mid-sentence at 'Model HH-1K...'. Applies only when tail rotor (T/R) slider, part number 204-010-720-3 or 204010720-3, is installed; certificated in any category
Whether AD 06-7577 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.