AD/Dauphin/80 Rotor Flight Controls Collective Pitch Lever Restraining Tab (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Eurocopter SA 360 and SA 365 (Dauphin) Series Helicopters

AD/DAUPHIN/80 Rotor Flight Controls - Collective
Pitch Lever Restraining Tab 9/2005

Applicability:

SA 365 N, N1 and AS 365 N2, N3 helicopters, fitted with collective pitch lever
“low-pitch” locking system.

Requirement:

Unless previously accomplished, check the collective pitch lever for correct unlocking and locking, in compliance with the instructions specified in paragraph 2 of EUROCOPTER AS 365 Alert Telex (AT) No. 67.00.10 R1 or later DGAC approved revisions; and

Adjust, if necessary, the collective pitch lever restraining tab and the collective link rods, in accordance with paragraph 2 of EUROCOPTER AS 365 AT No. 67.00.10 R1 or later DGAC approved revisions.

Note:  DGAC AD F-2005-127 EASA approval No. 2005-6074 dated 12 July 2005 refers.

Compliance:

No later than within the next 50 flying hours after the effective date of this Directive.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 1 September 2005.

Background:

This Directive is in response to an instance of unwanted collective pitch lever locking which occurred in flight, when moving the collective pitch lever to the “low-pitch” position, and one case of unwanted collective pitch lever unlocking during engine starting.

Unwanted collective pitch lever locking in flight can, in the worst case, cause the loss of the control of the helicopter, and unwanted unlocking on the ground can, in the worst case, cause uncontrolled takeoff of the helicopter.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

22 July 2005