Is AD 2021-20-17 a recurring Airworthiness Directive?

Yes — AD 2021-20-17 requires a repetitive inspection. Next-due depends on the aircraft's time in service.

Which aircraft does AD 2021-20-17 apply to?

AD 2021-20-17 applies to Leonardo S.P.A. — models AW169, AW189. Serial/part conditions may narrow it to specific aircraft.

Airworthiness Directive 2021-20-17

recurring

Official AD 2021-20-17 · FR doc 2021-22471 · 2021-10-18 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; Leonardo S.p.a. Helicopters

What this AD requires

The FAA is superseding emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-23-52, which applied to all Leonardo S.p.a. Model AW169 and AW189 helicopters. AD 2018-23-52 required inspecting the nut, cotter pin, lock-wire, and hinge bracket connected to the tail rotor servo-actuator (TRA) feedback lever link, and each connection of the TRA feedback lever link, and repair if necessary. AD 2018-23-52 also required applying a paint stripe or torque seal on the nut and reporting certain information. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the TRA, repetitive inspections and checks of the tail rotor duplex bearings (TR DB), installation of an improved TRA and TR DB, repetitive installations and checks of thermal strips, replacement of the improved TR DB (life limit), and applicable corrective actions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by a report of an accident of a Model AW169 helicopter, which was observed to have lost yaw control prior to the accident and a determination that certain inspections and checks of the TR DB, installation of an improved TRA and TR DB, certain other actions, and applicable corrective actions are necessary to address the unsafe condition. 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 2021-20-17 applies to

MakesLeonardo S.P.A.

ModelsAW169, AW189

Whether AD 2021-20-17 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 2021-20-17 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.