Is AD 2021-16-05 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2021-16-05 requires a repetitive inspection every 3 months. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2021-16-05 apply to?

AD 2021-16-05 applies to Airbus Helicopters — models AS332L2, EC225LP, AS332, EC225. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2021-16-05

recurring

Official AD 2021-16-05 · FR doc 2021-19247 · 2021-09-08 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Helicopters

What this AD requires

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-12- 51, which applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L2 and Model EC225LP helicopters. AD 2016-12-51 prohibited all further flight of Model AS332L2 and Model EC225LP helicopters. This AD requires replacing certain second stage planet gear assemblies, removing certain epicyclic modules, installing a full flow magnetic plug (FFMP), revising the existing rotorcraft flight manual (RFM) for your helicopter, repetitively inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) particle detectors, repetitively inspecting the MGB oil filter and oil cooler, and corrective action if necessary, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The actions specified in this AD terminate the flight prohibition. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect every 3 months. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2021-16-05 applies to

MakesAirbus Helicopters

ModelsAS332L2, EC225LP, AS332, EC225

Whether AD 2021-16-05 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 2021-16-05 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.