AD 83-03-04
Applicability
| Type | Manufacturer | Model | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| aircraft | Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited | 206L | Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters |
| aircraft | Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited | 206L-1 | Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters |
Unsafe Condition
Incorrect installation of the shear head release piston pin in the float inflation valve assembly may cause the emergency flotation equipment to fail to deploy properly.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Required Actions
Disconnect the battery, bleed nitrogen gas from the cylinder, remove and inspect the shear head release piston pin for correct installation orientation. If incorrectly installed, discard the shear head, install a new one with '0' rings, torque to 20 foot-pounds, and reinstall the piston pin correctly. Alternatively, use X-ray inspection if equipment is available to avoid disassembly.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Compliance Time
within 150 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Affected Aircraft
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Model 206L and 206L-1 helicopters equipped with emergency flotation equipment kits P/N 206-706-067-1, -5, -101, 206-706-210-101, and -103.
AI-generated summary from the source AD text. Verify against the official source before acting.
Federal Register Abstract
Damage Check Of Shear Heads
Applicability Source Text
Show captured applicability text from the source AD
AD Final Rules - DRS_83-03-04.html Copy URL Print/Save as PDF Document Versions Feedback Details AD Number: 83-03-04 Document Type: AD Final Rules Docket Number: Unknown Subject Heading: Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters Subject: Damage Check Of Shear Heads Status: Current Citation: This information is not available. Citation Publish Date: Effective Date: 02/17/1983 Make: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model: 206L | 206L-1 Product Type: Aircraft Product Subtype: Rotorcraft Affected AD: Superseded AD: Affected By: Superseded By: Service/Office: Office of Primary Responsibility: CFR Part Reference: Part 39 Comments: AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES FINAL RULES: 83-03-04 CITATION: This information is not available. PAGE NUMBER: DOCKET NUMBER: Unknown AMENDMENT: 39-4562 AD NUMBER: 83-03-04 SUBJECT HEADING: Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters ACTION: SUMMARY: DATES: Effective February 17, 1983. ADDRESSES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: REGULATORY TEXT: 83-03-04 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC.: Amendment 39-4562. Applies to all Model 206L and 206L-1 helicopters certificated in all categories that are equipped with emergency flotation equipment kits P/N 206-706-067-1, -5, -101, and 206-706-210-101, and - 103. Compliance is required within 150 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD unless already accomplished in accordance with Service Bulletin 206L-81-21 or modified in accordance with Technical Bulletin 206L-82-84. To determine whether the shear heads in the float inflation valve assembly have been damaged by incorrect installation, accomplish the following: a. Disconnect the battery. NOTE: DO NOT DISCONNECT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE SQUIB VALVE ON THE INFLATION VALVE AT THE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. b. Remove the nitrogen gas from inflation cylinder, carefully bleeding off the gas through the Schrader inlet valve. CAUTION DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE SHEAR HEAD PISTON PIN PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF THE NITROGEN GAS FROM THE CYLINDER. c. Carefully remove the shear head release piston pin. Visually inspect the pin, as removed, to determine if the position of the flat machined side of the piston pin faces the inlet end of the shear head machined groove (Ref. Figure 1, Bell Helicopter Textron Service Bulletin 206L-81-21, dated May 7, 1981). d. If the shear head release piston pin has been installed by rotating the pin 90 to 180 degrees, placing the round side of the pin against the inlet side of the shear head inlet groove, the pin has been incorrectly installed. e. If the shear head release piston pin is found installed incorrectly, remove the shear head from the valve body and discard. Install a new shear head and "0" rings. On installation, thread shear head into the valve body and torque to 20 foot-pounds, prior to installing the shear head release pin. Reinstall piston pin as described in paragraph f. f. If the shear head release piston pin is found correctly installed, place "0" ring in groove of piston pin and install piston pin part way into body with flat side on end of piston pin facing inlet port. Rotate piston pin 90 degrees and lightly push piston pin down into valve body until it bottoms out. While pushing on piston pin, rotate piston pin 90 degrees in the opposite direction. Piston pin should drop deeper into body. Flat side of piston pin must engage groove in shear head, with flat side facing inlet port. g. Refill cylinder with nitrogen. Check for leaks. Connect battery, and refer to appropriate service instruction. NOTE X-ray Inspection (Alternate Method) Where X-ray equipment is available, inspection of the valve assembly may be accomplished by use of X-ray pictures. Reference Figure 2, Bell Helicopter Textron Service Bulletin 206L-81-21 dated May 7, 1981, or FAA approved equivalent for examples of correct and incorrect piston pin installation in the valve assembly. This eliminates the need to bleed off the nitrogen and to disassembly the valve assembly. CAUTION DISCONNECT AND REMOVE THE SQUIB FROM THE VALVE ASSEMBLY PRIOR TO USE OF X-RAY. h. Equivalent means of compliance with the AD may be approved by the Manager, Aircraft Certification Division, Southwest Region, Fort Worth, Texas. This amendment becomes effective February 17, 1983. FOOTER:
Document Text
Show stored source text (verify against official source)
AD Final Rules - DRS_83-03-04.html Copy URL Print/Save as PDF Document Versions Feedback Details AD Number: 83-03-04 Document Type: AD Final Rules Docket Number: Unknown Subject Heading: Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters Subject: Damage Check Of Shear Heads Status: Current Citation: This information is not available. Citation Publish Date: Effective Date: 02/17/1983 Make: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model: 206L | 206L-1 Product Type: Aircraft Product Subtype: Rotorcraft Affected AD: Superseded AD: Affected By: Superseded By: Service/Office: Office of Primary Responsibility: CFR Part Reference: Part 39 Comments: AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES FINAL RULES: 83-03-04 CITATION: This information is not available. PAGE NUMBER: DOCKET NUMBER: Unknown AMENDMENT: 39-4562 AD NUMBER: 83-03-04 SUBJECT HEADING: Airworthiness Directives; BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC Model 206L and 206L-1 Helicopters ACTION: SUMMARY: DATES: Effective February 17, 1983. ADDRESSES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: REGULATORY TEXT: 83-03-04 BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC.: Amendment 39-4562. Applies to all Model 206L and 206L-1 helicopters certificated in all categories that are equipped with emergency flotation equipment kits P/N 206-706-067-1, -5, -101, and 206-706-210-101, and - 103. Compliance is required within 150 hours' time in service after the effective date of this AD unless already accomplished in accordance with Service Bulletin 206L-81-21 or modified in accordance with Technical Bulletin 206L-82-84. To determine whether the shear heads in the float inflation valve assembly have been damaged by incorrect installation, accomplish the following: a. Disconnect the battery. NOTE: DO NOT DISCONNECT ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TO THE SQUIB VALVE ON THE INFLATION VALVE AT THE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. b. Remove the nitrogen gas from inflation cylinder, carefully bleeding off the gas through the Schrader inlet valve. CAUTION DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE SHEAR HEAD PISTON PIN PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF THE NITROGEN GAS FROM THE CYLINDER. c. Carefully remove the shear head release piston pin. Visually inspect the pin, as removed, to determine if the position of the flat machined side of the piston pin faces the inlet end of the shear head machined groove (Ref. Figure 1, Bell Helicopter Textron Service Bulletin 206L-81-21, dated May 7, 1981). d. If the shear head release piston pin has been installed by rotating the pin 90 to 180 degrees, placing the round side of the pin against the inlet side of the shear head inlet groove, the pin has been incorrectly installed. e. If the shear head release piston pin is found installed incorrectly, remove the shear head from the valve body and discard. Install a new shear head and "0" rings. On installation, thread shear head into the valve body and torque to 20 foot-pounds, prior to installing the shear head release pin. Reinstall piston pin as described in paragraph f. f. If the shear head release piston pin is found correctly installed, place "0" ring in groove of piston pin and install piston pin part way into body with flat side on end of piston pin facing inlet port. Rotate piston pin 90 degrees and lightly push piston pin down into valve body until it bottoms out. While pushing on piston pin, rotate piston pin 90 degrees in the opposite direction. Piston pin should drop deeper into body. Flat side of piston pin must engage groove in shear head, with flat side facing inlet port. g. Refill cylinder with nitrogen. Check for leaks. Connect battery, and refer to appropriate service instruction. NOTE X-ray Inspection (Alternate Method) Where X-ray equipment is available, inspection of the valve assembly may be accomplished by use of X-ray pictures. Reference Figure 2, Bell Helicopter Textron Service Bulletin 206L-81-21 dated May 7, 1981, or FAA approved equivalent for examples of correct and incorrect piston pin installation in the valve assembly. This eliminates the need to bleed off the nitrogen and to disassembly the valve assembly. CAUTION DISCONNECT AND REMOVE THE SQUIB FROM THE VALVE ASSEMBLY PRIOR TO USE OF X-RAY. h. Equivalent means of compliance with the AD may be approved by the Manager, Aircraft Certification Division, Southwest Region, Fort Worth, Texas. This amendment becomes effective February 17, 1983. FOOTER:
Source: Official FAA Source ↗
Retrieved: Apr 8, 2026
Rights: U.S. Government Public Domain
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA. Always verify with official sources.