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Canada, Brazil Grant STC’s to VHA 206L Main Blades
The aviation regulatory authorities of Canada and Brazil individually granted supplemental type certificate (STC) validation for VHA’s 206L main rotor blade within a few days of each other. The validations of FAA STC SR02684LA apply to VHA part number 20633000-101 to be installed on applicable LongRanger models in these countries.
Transport Canada issued STC SH18-69 on December 3, 2018 applying to 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 aircraft in Canada.
The Agencia Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) issued STC 2018S11-11 on November 29, 2018 applying to 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 aircraft in Brazil.
Copies of these and other associated documents can be found on our Documents page.
“We’ve had orders from several Canadian 206L operators since the FAA STC was announced in August,” said VHA president Dean Rosenlof. “We’re pleased that both Transport Canada and ANAC were able to validate the FAA STC within a few months so we could get the product to our customers in these countries.”
The VHA 206L main rotor blade features corrosion and damage-resistant carbon fiber skin, titanium root grip plates, foam core, and electroformed nickel and stainless steel abrasion strips along its entire leading edge. Its NASA-designed laminar flow airfoil allows air to move more efficiently over the blade; operators have already reported speed increases of one to three knots when flying over the same routes using VHA blades over the OEM blades.
“Our 206L main rotor blades offer performance and fiscal improvements over the OEM blades, at nearly the same initial acquisition cost,” said Rosenlof. “Our goal is to help operators keep flying this venerable workhorse for years to come, and we believe we’ve achieved that with the 206L main rotor blade.”
As of December 3, 2018, VHA 206L main rotor blades have been shipped to New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the United States, with multiple sets already flying in New Zealand and the U.S.
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For 206L LongRanger operators flying P/N 20633000-101 serial numbers A007-A009 or A012-A104, we would like to remind you that these blades are subject to AD 2022-22-08, which requires recurring tap inspections every 400 flight hours or 2,400 engine starts, whichever comes first. You can learn more about the tap test requirements and procedure in our video . These blades are likely to develop a delamination in the area of the weight pocket on the lower surface of the blade. The AD further requires removing the blades from service if the delamination reaches 6 inches in length. However, extensive company testing indicates that all blades will likely achieve their full retirement life before that occurs. So long as the delamination is monitored and does not exceed the permitted length, the blades are entirely safe to fly with no adverse effects on aircraft behavior or performance. Operators are required to report their findings at every inspection interval to VHA for tracking using the form on the last page of Service Bulletin 33000-4 . Completed forms should be emailed to info@vanhornaviation.com . Providing this data helps to ensure all operators of these blades remain safe. All of the identified blades are likely to have delaminations, so if none are detected please contact us for assistance. In addition, this AD is considered an interim action and once sufficient data is gathered it may be updated to reduce the required frequency of inspection. Refer to AD 2022-22-08 and SB 33000-4 for further information.
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