AD/Ecureuil/107 Amdt 1 Stabilisers Upper and Lower Vertical Fin Spars (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/ECUREUIL/107 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 AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters

AD/ECUREUIL/107 Amdt 1 Stabilisers - Upper and
Lower Vertical Fin Spars 9/2006

Applicability:

Model AS 350 B3 helicopters, without Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin No. 55.00.13 incorporated.

Requirement:

Inspect the spar of the upper and lower fins for cracks in accordance with Eurocopter AS 350 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.46, or later EASA approved revision.

If a crack is found in one of the spars, before further flight, replace the affected vertical fin in accordance with Maintenance Manual Work Card 55.00.00.402.

Note:  EASA AD 2006-0095 refers.

Compliance:

Within 25 flight hours after 12 January 2005, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 110 flight hours.

The compliance time for the initial inspection remains unchanged by this issue.

This Amendment becomes effective on 31 August 2006.

Background:

Reports were received of cracks discovered in the spar of the upper vertical fin on two AS 355 N helicopters.  Undetected cracking on the attachment spar of a vertical fin could lead to failure of the spar, and result in loss of the vertical fin.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to a new EASA AD, which converts the Requirement document to an Alert Service Bulletin with the same reference number, and limits aircraft applicability.  There is no change to the technical content.

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 12 January 2005.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

20 July 2006