Is AD 2016-08-20 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2016-08-20 requires a repetitive inspection. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2016-08-20 apply to?

AD 2016-08-20 applies to Airbus Helicopters — models EC130B4, EC130T2, EC130. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2016-08-20

recurring

Official AD 2016-08-20 · FR doc 2016-09235 · 2016-05-02 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter France)

What this AD requires

We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 2014-12-51 for Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model EC130B4 and EC130T2 helicopters. AD 2014-12-51 required repetitively inspecting the tailboom to Fenestron junction frame (junction frame) for a crack. This new AD retains the requirements of AD 2014-12-51, changes the applicability from helicopters with certain hours time-in-service (TIS) to junction frames with certain hours TIS, and adds a compliance time for sling cycles to the junction frame inspection interval. The actions of this AD are intended to detect a crack and to prevent failure of the junction frame, which could result in loss of the Fenestron and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2016-08-20 applies to

MakesAirbus Helicopters

ModelsEC130B4, EC130T2, EC130

Applies only to helicopters with a tailboom-to-fenestron junction frame that has accumulated 690 or more hours time-in-service.

Whether AD 2016-08-20 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 2016-08-20 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.