AD/Ecureuil/123 Rotor Flight Controls Load Compensator Lever (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 AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters

AD/ECUREUIL/123 Rotor Flight Controls - Load
Compensator Lever 2/2007 TX

Applicability:

EUROCOPTER AS 350 B1 and B2 helicopters.

Requirement:

1.    Inspect the aircraft records to determine the part number (P/N) of the load compensator lever.

a.     If the load compensator lever has never been replaced, or if the load compensator lever was replaced with P/N 355A27-0072-00, resume flights.

b.    If the installed lever P/N is 355A27-0082-00, contact the manufacturer for further instructions.

2.    If it cannot be determined whether the load compensator lever has been replaced, or if P/N of the load compensator lever cannot be determined, inspect the aircraft to determine the P/N of load compensator lever using the instructions in paragraph 2.B. of Eurocopter AS 350 Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 67.00.39. Revision 0 dated 28 November 2006 or later EASA approved revisions.

a.     If the installed lever P/N is 355A27-0072-00, resume flights.

b.    If the installed lever P/N is 355A27-0082-00, contact the manufacturer for further instructions.

3.    Do not install yaw control load compensator lever P/N 355A27-0082-00 on any AS 350 B1 or AS 350 B2 aircraft.

Note:  EASA Emergency AD 2006-0363-E dated 1 December 2006 refers.

Compliance:

1.    Before further flight.

2.    Within the next 10 hours time in service after the effective date of this AD.

3.    From the effective date of this AD.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 8 December 2006.

Background:

An investigation conducted by EUROCOPTER has revealed that the load compensator lever referenced in the Illustrated Parts Catalogue is part number (P/N) 355A27-0082-00 instead of P/N 355A27-0072-00.  The only yaw control compensator lever authorized for installation on AS350 B1 and AS350 B2 helicopters is P/N 355A27-0072-00.  Consequently, this AD requires a check to establish that the part numbers of the load compensator levers installed are compatible with the helicopter version concerned.

Yaw control travel restriction can lead to the loss of control of the helicopter.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

7 December 2006