AD/Dauphin/97 Amdt 1 VNE Limitation (Cth)
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/DAUPHIN/97 and issues the following 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/97 Amdt 1 | VNE Limitation | 2/2009 TX |
Applicability: | Model SA 365 N, SA 365 N1, AS 365 N2, AS 365 N3 helicopters, all serial numbers. |
Requirement: | 1. In accordance with the instructions of Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 01.00.60, accomplish the following: Amend the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) to include a VNE of 150 knots IAS. This may be accomplished by inserting a copy of this AD into the RFM; and, Install one or more labels (placards) on the cockpit instrument panel, in full view of the pilot and co-pilot, as specified in Eurocopter ASB 01.00.60, paragraph 2B, Figure 1, Item 1. 2. In accordance with the instructions of Eurocopter ASB 01.00.60 Revision 1, accomplish the following: Amend the RFM to include a -1500 feet/minute rate of descent (R/D) limitation beyond 140 knots. This may be accomplished by inserting a copy of this AD into the RFM; and, Install one or more labels (placards) on the cockpit instrument panel, in full view of the pilot and co-pilot, as specified in Eurocopter ASB 01.00.60 Revision 1, paragraph 2B, Figure 1, Item 2. Note: EASA Emergency AD 2008-0204-E refers. |
Compliance: | Before further flight after 8 December 2008, unless already accomplished. |
| This Amendment becomes effective on 8 December 2008. | |
Background: | The manufacturer received reports of horizontal stabiliser failures on recently delivered Model AS 365 N3 helicopters. The in-flight separation and loss of the failed sections occurred during acceptance test and training flights, as part of the VNE demonstration. The cause of the failures is under investigation. |
| Subsequent tests conducted on the helicopter and in the laboratory have revealed that the reported incidents were due to a vibration phenomenon that may arise in the descent flight phases at high speed, regardless of stabiliser configuration. Eurocopter is developing an improvement that is expected to solve this problem. Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new EASA AD, which expands the applicability of the VNE limitation to all 365N helicopters regardless of the horizontal stabiliser part number installed, and in addition, implements a rate of descent limitation; while retaining the requirements of original EASA AD |
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority
5 December 2008
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