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Bell Nears Final Fix for Cracked 505 Collectives
Bell
could have a final solution in place for the cracked pilot collective sticks
on its 505 light single helicopter before the end of the year, the company
said. Approximately half of Bell’s 505 in-service fleet of approximately 300
helicopters have received replacement sticks, but those parts currently have
a 300-hour life limit pending the completion of fatigue testing and
certification, according to a company spokesman. The
cracked collective was first detected by a California law enforcement
customer in February and triggered a series of airworthiness directives that
initially called for repetitive 25-hour fluorescent penetrant
inspections (FPI) of the part and later the requirement that all 505s be
flown single pilot only from the left seat. Fatigue testing of the new part
should be completed within three months and “certification activity to remove
the retirement-life limitation is expected to be finalized within three
months of the completed testing,” Bell said in an email to AIN. “All
customers who have requested a new stick now have them on hand. We have
enough stock of the new stick to cover the entire fleet and current
production,” the company said. |
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