AW139 Maintenance Improvement

Team
MEETING # 9 ACTION ITEMS UPDATE
Philadelphia, 04th - 05th December 2014

Summary

MIT meeting history

9th MIT AW proposed action items status

High priority action items status

Summary

MIT meeting history

9th MIT AW proposed action items status

High priority action items status

MIT meeting history (1/4)

Meeting
number

Date and
Location

New action
item

Total action
item

25-27 May 2011

AW Cascina C.

62

17-18 Nov 2011

AW Philadelphia

30

11 Feb 2012
HAI Dallas

Action items status (number and %)

Closed

In progress

Open

62

25 40%

12 20%

25 40%

92

40 43,5%

11 12%

41 44,5%

7-8 June 2012

AW Cascina C.

13

100

58 -58%

15 15%

27 27%

15-16 Jan 2013

AW Philadelphia

27

113

67 -59,5%

32 28,5%

14 12%

6-7 June 2013

AW Cascina C.

12

140

92 65,7%

37 26,4%

11 7,9%

5-6 Dec 2013

AW Philadelphia

10

152

115 75,7%

29 19,1%

8 5,3%

12-13 June 2014

AW Cascina C.

14

162

125 77,2%

30 18,5%

7 4,3%

MIT meeting history (2/4)

200
180
160

Action Items #

140
120

Total action items

100

Closed #
In progress #

80

Open #

60
40
20
0

MIT meeting event

MIT meeting history (3/4)

200
180
160

Action Items #

140
120

100

Total action items

New action items

80
60
40
20
0

MIT meeting event

MIT meeting history (4/4)

160

140

Action Items #

120

100

80

Closed #
Delta closed

60

40

20

MIT meeting event

Summary

MIT meeting history

9th MIT AW proposed action items status

High priority action items status

9th MIT AW action items status

Meeting
number

Date and
Location

4-5 Dec 2014

AW Philadelphia

New action
item

Action items status (number and %)

Total action
item

Closed

In progress

Open

176

139 79,0%

31 17,6%

6 3,4%

AW Action Items Statistics

3,4%

17,6%

CLOSED
IN PROGRESS
OPEN
79%

Summary

MIT meeting history

8th MIT AW proposed action items status

High priority action items status

10

Background
Evaluate to increase AMPI Chapter 5 inspection tolerances from current 50 FH to 100 FH.
Status

IN PROGRESS

Item M028 Time limits: tolerance extension

The certification process has been formally launched according to our DOA privileges.
All the tasks coming from SRS analyses can accept a tolerance extension. For the other inspections
the analysis is in progress.
The target for the completion of the activity is 3Q 2015.

11

Item M046 Liebherr LG task interval extension

Evaluate to increase AMPI Chapter 5 Liebherr Landing Gear system inspection intervals from current
300 FH or 300 FH / 1 Year to 600 FH at least.
Analysis of AW in service reports and Liebherr technical data and repair shop records confirmed no
critical technical issue related to the Landing Gear system to prevent inspection interval extension.

CLOSED

Background

Status
AW and Liebherr agreed on the task interval extension from current 300 FH to 600 FH.
Liebherr substantiation document officially signed received.
Modification introduced with AMPI Chapter V Issue 6 Change 7.

12

Background
Oil sample campaign to substantiate extension of the servicing interval from current 300 FH to 600 FH
agreed and defined.
Six MGBs from three different Customers (CHC, Weststar, Chevron) to be monitored at 300 FH and
600 FH to compare oil characteristics.

IN PROGRESS

Item M060b MGB oil servicing extension

Oil collection campaign completed with CHC and Weststar; on-going with Chevron; target completion.
Status
Laboratory analysis confirmed oil characteristics at 300 FH and 600 FH within specification.
Scuffing test completed on oil samples confirming no oil degradation at 600 FH compared to 300 FH
and new oil.
Micro pitting testing on going at external laboratory; test completion planned for end of December
2014 with official report in January 2015; preliminary data confirming oil performances up to 600 FH.
AMPI will be revised accordingly within 1Q 2015

13

Background
Based on the MGB oil campaign, AW decided to launch a sample campaign on IGB/TGB oil (without
extension trial) to compare results from IGB/TGB samples with MGB ones; based on the results
servicing interval extension will be evaluated (potential extension campaign will be necessary).

IN PROGRESS

Item M060c IGB/TGB servicing interval evaluation

Status
Campaign to be launched according to the following requirement:

IGB
N

TGB
N

Customer

Oil type

Environ
ment

Analysis type

Sample
qty

Customer A

Oil BP2380

Physic-Chemical

0.5 l

Customer B

Oil BP2380

Physic-Chemical

0.5 l

Customer C

Oil BP2380

Physic-Chemical

0.5 l

Customer A/D

Aeroshell Turbine Oil 555

Physic-Chemical

0.5 l

Customer B/E

Aeroshell Turbine Oil 555

Physic-Chemical

0.5 l
14

Item M070 MR blade & damper bolts lubrication

Some Operators, via special concession, tested different products.
CHC confirmed that Parker Lube is effective; ERA confirmed that Marine Grease is effective; FBH
confirmed that Loctite 8009 is effective.

CLOSED

Background

Status
Application on MR blade and damper bolts of Loctite 8009 in addition to solid lubricant.
Design modified with the application of Loctite 8009 in addition to solid lubricant in October 2014 and
introduced into IETP Issue 25 (November 2014).
Alternative materials to be tested.

15

Background
Evaluate the possibility to rely on numbers (non rounded to next scheduled 300/600 etc...) to gain
tolerance/margins on AMPI Chapter IV intervals.

IN PROGRESS

Item M088 AMPI Chapter IV intervals

Status
Considering that a complete review of the AMPI Chapter IV intervals is not feasible, Operators
requested to evaluate the margin on the following MI tasks: 53-07/08/09 (and eventually 53-01/05/06)
New full scale cabin fatigue tests started at the University of Milan. The target is to demonstrate a life
of 40,000 FH for the main cabin. Test is planned to run for all 2015. This test will be used to support
extension of the inspection interval.

Target inspection interval:

Fuselage tasks (53-07/08/09 ):1200 FH;

Tail tasks (53-01/05/06): considerable extension or removal

EASA certification planned within 4Q 2015 based on

EASA representative engagement.
16

Background
Operators requested AW feedback on the possibility to use Lead acid batteries on AW139.
AW certified in March 2014 KIT BATT. START IN PARALLEL 27AH AND 44AH P/N 4G2430F00811 to
further improve starting performances; this is the basic configuration to test Lead Acid batteries.

IN PROGRESS

Item R002a Lead acid batteries

AW confirmed availability to test lead acid batteries on a prototype helicopter in the parallel
configuration and to share data with batteries manufacturer to support STC approval.
Status
Gill batteries (44 Ah + 27 Ah) received by supplier for test.
Kit P/N 4G2430F00811 retrofitted on prototype helicopter to perform comparison between current
NiCad batteries and Lead Acid.
Baseline flights with NiCad configuration planned for mid December; soon after the same flights with
Lead Acid batteries to compare configuration performances with PW&C versus the minimum starting
torque curve requirement.
As soon as test results will be available, they will be shared within MIT group and STC applicants.

17

Item R010b MRA & TRA pressure switch mod

Customers requested BT139-105 Part III effectiveness on servo pressure switch modified installation
(new boot and Goretex patch on switch ventilation hole).
Goretex patch applied in production by AW on MRA but not on TRA.

CLOSED

Background

Status
Goretex patch will be applied basic in production by Claverham on new pressure switch P/N 8713781; this pressure switch is the current one with the application of the patch.
The new pressure switch will be basic on the new MRA and TRA design to introduce the new VLseals.
According to available reports the introduction of the modified installation reduced the events of failure
signals.

18

Background
Customers requested a plan for the design of a new pressure switch.

Status

IN PROGRESS

Item R010c MRA & TRA pressure switch

Claverham is qualifying a new hermetically sealed

pressure switch P/N 87223-85 including a physical
separation between the mechanical and the electrical
portion of the switch.
The Goretex patch will be applied also to the new
switch.
Qualification will be completed within December 2014
with final certification within January 2015.
New switch will become basic in production and for
spares.
New switch availability: April 2015

19

Item R010d MRA & TRA pressure switch

Customers requested to evaluate an alternative supplier for the switch, proposing Benz as it is used
on other platforms.

CLOSED

Background

Status
Benz are not a recognised or approved supplier for UTAS and are not currently included in the UTAS
Global Supply Chain Strategy.
The qualification and approval process for any new supplier is extensive and far in excess of the
activity currently being undertaken with the current supplier for the new pressure switch.
Proposal is to monitor new sealed switch (refer to item R010c) and then evaluate with UTAS an
alternative solution.

20

Background
Customers requested the possibility to perform automatic in flight EPA to save fuel currently necessary
to comply with this requirement especially for Operators operating under Cat A.

IN PROGRESS

Item R011a EPA

Status
P&WC is working to certify an STC to provide EPA automatic capability (FAST).
Hardware installation location defined.
Launch Customer identified; installation in progress based on helicopter availability.
PWC is looking for other Customers willing to install the STC.
Program divided into two phases:

Phase 1: FAA STC approval within February 2015 to install the system and start collecting as
much data as data possible.

Phase 2: based on the data gathered after Phase 1, software tailoring to allow EPAC in flight;
target end of 2015

21

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

MIT # 9