Learning Objective: Recognize general rotary-wing maintenance procedures to include system rigging and rotor blade tracking.

Organizational maintenance of the helicopter flight control system includes periodic inspection, lubrication, rigging, and blade tracking. It also includes the cleaning of the rotary-wing and rudder blades and the removal and replacement of malfunctioning components.

Organizational maintenance of the auxiliary and primary servo cylinders is limited to minor adjust-ment and replacement of miscellaneous seals.

Organizational maintenance includes the removal and installation of the complete component. Major adjustments made on servo cylinders during overhaul are critical. These adjustments are not made at the lower levels of maintenance.

Vibrations and cyclic actions inherent to helicopters can cause component or structural fatigue. Nondestructive testing (NDI) is used on many parts of the airframe and many dynamic components to detect flaws (cracks) that could lead to failure. Additionally, most of the dynamic components, such as rotor heads, blades, servo cylinders, and swashplates, have forced (high-time) removal intervals. These time intervals are listed by component in the Periodic Maintenance Information Cards (PMIC) for the aircraft.

You should clean the rotary wing and rotary rudder as necessary, using only approved cleaners. The concentration of mixture will vary, depending on the surface condition and type of cleaner used.

Both the rotary-wing and rudder blades have areas that connect by bonding adhesives or are manufactured out of fiber glass or advanced composite materials. Never use solvents or cleaners not specifically authorized in the MIM. Do not use lacquer thinner, naphtha, carbon tetrachloride, or other organic compounds for cleaning in these bonded areas. Use of these solvents or cleaners may result in blade failure.

Rigging checks and adjustments involve the cyclic pitch control stick, collective pitch control stick, and pedal positions. These controls must coordinate with the correct rotary-wing and rotary-rudder blade angles. You must be sure that the flight controls are operating under normal friction loads.

The use of rigging pins and other rigging aids provide proper rigging and proper system operation. Each step outlined in the MIM should be carefully performed.

Several quick rigging, cable adjustment, and operational checks with related maintenance precautions are found in the MIM. No attempt to duplicate this information is provided in this chapter. The MIM should be consulted before any mainte-nance begins.

At the completion of rigging, a flight test must be performed by a qualified pilot. A flight check chart is provided by the MIM. The MIM lists the conditions of the check, the required performance, and informa-tion to aid in the correction of malfuncti