AD 73-09-03
Applicability
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| aircraft | Airbus Helicopters | SA.315B Alouette III | Airworthiness Directives; Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale: (S.N.I.A.S.) - formerly SUD Aviation) Lama Model SA-315B and Alouette Models SA-316B, SA-316C, and SA- 319B Helicopters |
| aircraft | Airbus Helicopters | SA.316B Alouette III | Airworthiness Directives; Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale: (S.N.I.A.S.) - formerly SUD Aviation) Lama Model SA-315B and Alouette Models SA-316B, SA-316C, and SA- 319B Helicopters |
| aircraft | Airbus Helicopters | SA.316C Alouette III | Airworthiness Directives; Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale: (S.N.I.A.S.) - formerly SUD Aviation) Lama Model SA-315B and Alouette Models SA-316B, SA-316C, and SA- 319B Helicopters |
| aircraft | Airbus Helicopters | SA.319B Alouette III | Airworthiness Directives; Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale: (S.N.I.A.S.) - formerly SUD Aviation) Lama Model SA-315B and Alouette Models SA-316B, SA-316C, and SA- 319B Helicopters |
Unsafe Condition
Failure of the main rotor gear box due to defective planetary gears, specifically cracks and evidence of overheat in the planet pinions of the second stage planetary gear, P/N 3160S.62.05.208.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Required Actions
Remove and disassemble the main rotor gear box (P/N 319A.62.00.000.1 or .2) to inspect the planet pinions for cracks and overheat evidence. Replace defective planet pinions with serviceable ones of the same part number. Follow Aerospatiale Service Letters/ Bulletins or FAA-approved equivalents.
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Compliance Time
Before further flight (if 500+ hours' time in service on the main rotor gear box) or before accumulating 500 hours' time in service on the gear box since new/overhauled.
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Affected Aircraft
Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale Lama Model SA-315B and Alouette Models SA-316B, SA-316C, and SA-319B helicopters with main gear box P/N 319A.62.00.000.1 or .2, serial numbers up to and including 2,000.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Source: Official FAA Source ↗
Retrieved: Apr 8, 2026
Rights: U.S. Government Public Domain
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