Narrative:

Accusation from maintenance management that we; as pilots; are not signing off a required airworthiness directive (signable by pilots); which could result in FAA enforcement action; wrongly. Situation: maintenance management informed our base manager that the airworthiness directive for the starflex hub bushings was no longer required to be signed off by us in the aircraft logbook due to a different part number that the logbook reflects; and is non-applicable to this airworthiness directive due to part number. This hub recently replaced another hub during inspection. An alternate method of compliance (amoc) was approved by the FAA for this airworthiness directive; which eliminates signing off this airworthiness directive provided the required modification which pins the starflex bushings in place has been done on starflex part numbers affected by the airworthiness directive. The alternate method of compliance requires only that the requirements of the maintenance manual be followed; and for us pilots; that means performing the daily operating check of chapter 8 of the AS350-B2 flight manual; which includes the statement; 'starflex hub arms...no space between the adhesive's beads and the bush.' this alternate method of compliance is satisfied during our daily aircraft check; and this daily inspection is recorded in the aircraft logbook every day as required. The problem is that another member of maintenance management claims that the first member of maintenance management was wrong in informing the base manager that the airworthiness directive was no longer applicable; and that we pilots are in FAA violation for not signing off the airworthiness directive; when in fact we are not; due to the alternate method of compliance and what is recorded in the logbook for the hub part number not being the same part number that is listed as affected by the airworthiness directive. It has been recommended by our manager to go ahead and file this statement to help protect against FAA enforcement.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS350-B2 AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE INSPECTION BY PLTS WAS TERMINATED WITH INSTALLATION OF MODIFIED BUSHING PINNED IN PLACE AND HUB REPLACEMENT.

Narrative: ACCUSATION FROM MAINT MGMNT THAT WE; AS PLTS; ARE NOT SIGNING OFF A REQUIRED AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (SIGNABLE BY PLTS); WHICH COULD RESULT IN FAA ENFORCEMENT ACTION; WRONGLY. SITUATION: MAINT MGMNT INFORMED OUR BASE MGR THAT THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE FOR THE STARFLEX HUB BUSHINGS WAS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE SIGNED OFF BY US IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK DUE TO A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER THAT THE LOGBOOK REFLECTS; AND IS NON-APPLICABLE TO THIS AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE DUE TO PART NUMBER. THIS HUB RECENTLY REPLACED ANOTHER HUB DURING INSPECTION. AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMPLIANCE (AMOC) WAS APPROVED BY THE FAA FOR THIS AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE; WHICH ELIMINATES SIGNING OFF THIS AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE PROVIDED THE REQUIRED MODIFICATION WHICH PINS THE STARFLEX BUSHINGS IN PLACE HAS BEEN DONE ON STARFLEX PART NUMBERS AFFECTED BY THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. THE ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMPLIANCE REQUIRES ONLY THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAINT MANUAL BE FOLLOWED; AND FOR US PLTS; THAT MEANS PERFORMING THE DAILY OPERATING CHK OF CHAPTER 8 OF THE AS350-B2 FLT MANUAL; WHICH INCLUDES THE STATEMENT; 'STARFLEX HUB ARMS...NO SPACE BTWN THE ADHESIVE'S BEADS AND THE BUSH.' THIS ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMPLIANCE IS SATISFIED DURING OUR DAILY ACFT CHK; AND THIS DAILY INSPECTION IS RECORDED IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK EVERY DAY AS REQUIRED. THE PROB IS THAT ANOTHER MEMBER OF MAINT MGMNT CLAIMS THAT THE FIRST MEMBER OF MAINT MGMNT WAS WRONG IN INFORMING THE BASE MGR THAT THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WAS NO LONGER APPLICABLE; AND THAT WE PLTS ARE IN FAA VIOLATION FOR NOT SIGNING OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE; WHEN IN FACT WE ARE NOT; DUE TO THE ALTERNATE METHOD OF COMPLIANCE AND WHAT IS RECORDED IN THE LOGBOOK FOR THE HUB PART NUMBER NOT BEING THE SAME PART NUMBER THAT IS LISTED AS AFFECTED BY THE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY OUR MGR TO GO AHEAD AND FILE THIS STATEMENT TO HELP PROTECT AGAINST FAA ENFORCEMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.