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Jul 03, 2024 - Helicopter Replacement Parts Bell, Leonardo, Agusta Westland

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) posted a notification regarding parts for Agusta Bell (AB) Helicopters and their Bell equivalents that led to the inappropriate intermixing of parts between the two helicopter types. Ensure that you have not confused any parts, and feel free to contact us for advice and spare part replacements.

Bell Gen-21-150 May 10, 2021

SUBJECT: INTERCHANGEABILITY OF AGUSTA AND BELL MANUFACTURED PARTS
This General Information Letter supersedes Information Letter GEN-99-65
This General Information Letter is being issued due to a new manufacturing framework in place between Bell Textron Inc. (Bell) and Leonardo Helicopters (LHD) (Formerly Agusta). New parts having a Bell part number used on Agusta-Bell (AB) products, as reflected in the applicable technical publications for AB products, are eligible for installation with a FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag if the part manufacturer is Bell. Parts released by LHD with EASA Form 1 remain eligible for installation on AB products only.

LHD produced both licensed helicopters and licensed parts under a Know-How License Agreement with Bell. LHD manufactured parts may look identical to Bell produced parts; however, Bell has no configuration or quality control of LHD produced parts. Therefore, there is still a requirement to separate Bell produced parts from LHD produced parts. LHD produced parts share no FAA or Transport Canada certification privilege with Bell produced parts. No parts produced by or for LHD are eligible for installation on FAA or Transport Canada type certificated helicopters, even though the part numbers are the same. Parts manufactured by Bell that were installed on an AB product are eligible for installation on Bell products.Parts received directly from Bell will be covered under the Bell spares part warranty. Warranty coverage for parts received from LHD will be the responsibility of LHD.

LHD retains Type Certificate holder responsibilities for configuration control and applicability of superseding part numbers on AB products.
For any questions regarding this letter, please contact:
Bell Product Support Engineering
Tel: 1-450-437-2862 / 1-800-363-8023 / productsupport@bellflight.com

Only parts manufactured under the control of the Type Certificate Holder (TCH) are eligible for installation on their respective helicopters. If a part does not meet these criteria, it must be replaced with one that conforms to the TCH holders’ requirements. Parts produced by or for Leonardo (formerly Agusta Westland) are not eligible for installation on Bell-manufactured helicopters. New parts produced by Bell under their production approvals can only be used on AB206 and AB412 civil registered aircraft if they are released with an FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag. Except for the AB206 and AB412, original Bell Helicopter components are only eligible for installation on AB products if supplied or authorized by Agusta (now Leonardo) and released with an EASA Form 1.  

Helicopters must comply with their applicable Type Certificate, be fitted with correctly configured conforming parts, and be maintained according to the correct Instructions for Continuing Airworthiness (ICA) as specified by the Type Certificate Holder. Failing to ensure the helicopter is correctly configured and maintained will result in an unairworthy aircraft, invalidating its Certificate of Airworthiness. For the continued airworthiness of the in-service fleet, as mentioned in the SIL, an Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued by the Civil Aviation Directorate of the Department of Transport of Canada (TCCA) for the Bell 206 and by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Bell 412 regarding parts produced by or for Bell, will generally have a corresponding EASA AD for the AB fleet. However, each organization must comply with the applicable regulations to ensure all relevant ADs are captured and actioned. 

We have the expertise to support you through the entire lifetime of your aircraft, from purchase to maintenance to repair. By keeping your helicopter operating at peak performance and in utmost safety for as long as possible, you’ll avoid loss of productivity and reduction of service to your clients, and protect your bottom line.

In case of any discrepancy between the information provided here and that published by the respective Type Certificate Holder, the information from the Type Certificate Holder takes precedence. Contact us to discuss your Bell 212, Leonardo, and Agusta Westland part requirements. With global shipping and an extensive network of suppliers, RotorLink is the world's leading provider of helicopter replacement parts and is ready to assist with your helicopter needs.

RotorLink sources a wide range of Bell-approved replacement parts for over 23 aircraft models. Our offerings include: