Eurocopter admits it will miss EC225 deadline

Eurocopter has finally admitted it cannot meet its self-imposed end-February deadline to return the global EC225 fleet to unrestricted service as it has been unable to identify the root cause of two North Sea ditchings in 2012.

The airframer's chief executive Lutz Bertling made the promise to an oil and gas industry forum in November. However, the manufacturer has now revealed its tests on the main gearbox bevel gear vertical shaft - the component that cracked in both incidents - have failed to produce any concrete answers.

Although it says it has been trying to identify a "most probable root cause" for the issue, it admits "thisEurocopter assumption has not been proven by tests".

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/eurocopter-admits-it-will-miss-ec225-deadline-381178/