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Airworthiness Directive 2021-15721

recurring
AD 2021-15721 · 2021-07-26 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Various Restricted Category Helicopters

What this AD requires

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various restricted category helicopters, originally manufactured by Bell Textron Inc. (Bell). This AD was prompted by multiple events involving failure of the tail boom attach structure including the bolts. This AD requires revising the existing Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) for your helicopter to incorporate pre-flight checks; removing paint and sealant, and cleaning; repetitive inspections of structural components that attach the tail boom to the fuselage; and depending on the outcome of the inspections, repairing or replacing components, or re-bonding the structure. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 25 hours. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2021-15721 applies to

MakesBell Textron Inc.Rotorcraft Development CorporationRobinson Air Crane Inc.Tamarack Helicopters, Inc.Overseas Aircraft Support, Inc.Richards Heavylift Helo, Inc.International Helicopters, Inc.Red Tail Flying Services, LlcSouthwest Florida Aviation International, Inc.Wsh, LlcSmith HelicoptersWest Coast FabricationsAst, Inc.California Department Of ForestryArrow Falcon Exporters Inc.Global Helicopter Technology, Inc.Hagglund Helicopters, LlcJjaspp Engineering Services, LlcNorthwest Rotorcraft, Llc
ModelsHH-1K, TH-1F, TH-1L, UH-1A, UH-1B, UH-1E, UH-1F, UH-1H, UH-1L, UH-1P, HH-1, TH-1, UH-1

Restricted category helicopters certificated in any category, originally manufactured by Bell and currently held by the listed type-certificate holders/operators. UH-1B (item 5) excludes helicopters with STC No. SR00026DE installed; SW204/SW204HP designation aircraft are Southwest Florida Aviation International UH-1B, and SW205 designation aircraft are Southwest Florida Aviation International UH-1H.

Whether AD 2021-15721 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 2021-15721 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.