Airworthiness Directives; Various Helicopters

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various helicopters modified by certain supplemental type certificates (STCs) that approve the installation of an emergency float kit or an emergency float with a liferaft kit. This AD was prompted by the results of an accident investigation and subsequent reports of difficulty pulling the emergency float kit activation handle installed on the pilot cyclic. This AD requires repetitively inspecting the pull force on the float activation handle and for certain model helicopters, this AD also requires and replacing certain part-numbered float inflation reservoirs (reservoirs) and pull cable assemblies (cables) with other part-numbered reservoirs and cables. Finally, this AD prohibits installing certain part-numbered reservoirs and cables on specific helicopters. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.