Is AD 2020-02-17 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2020-02-17 requires a repetitive inspection. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2020-02-17 apply to?

AD 2020-02-17 applies to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation — models S-70, S-70A, S-70C, S-70C(M), S-70C(M1). Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2020-02-17

recurring

Official AD 2020-02-17 · FR doc 2020-02446 · 2020-02-07 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Helicopters

What this AD requires

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-70, S-70A, S- 70C, S-70C(M), and S-70C(M1) helicopters. This AD was prompted by four incidents of disbonding between the tail rotor (T/R) blade pitch horn and the torque tube. This AD requires recurring visual and tap inspections of the T/R blade, and depending on the outcome, replacing the T/R blade. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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 2020-02-17 applies to

MakesSikorsky Aircraft Corporation

ModelsS-70, S-70A, S-70C, S-70C(M), S-70C(M1)

Serial-conditional — narrows to serials ?–A009-08915.

Part-conditional — 70101-31000.

Applies to helicopters with tail rotor (T/R) blade P/N 70101-31000 (all dash numbers), S/N up to and including A009-08915, installed. The serial range refers to the T/R blade, not the helicopter. Manufacturer name was not stated in the excerpted applicability text; 'Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation' is inferred from the S-70 model designation.

Whether AD 2020-02-17 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 2020-02-17 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.