AD/S-Puma/62 Landing Gear Electro-Valve Power Supply (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 332 (Super Puma) Series Helicopters

AD/S-PUMA/62 Landing Gear - Electro-Valve Power Supply 9/2005

Applicability:	AS 332 C, C1, L and L1 helicopters, pre MOD 0723817:
a.     Without the helicopter wiring modified in accordance with either MOD 0725670 or Eurocopter AS 332 Service Bulletin (SB) 32.00.12 dated 28 April 1999 or SB 32.00.12 Revision1 dated 19 December 2000, and/or
b.    Equipped with a 33G landing gear control unit not modified in accordance with MOD 0725670 or 332P083218 or 332A088381 or SB 32.00.12 or SB AS 332 32.00.12 Revision 1.
Requirement:	1.    Modify the helicopter wiring and installed 33G landing gear control units in accordance with Section 2.B. of Eurocopter AS 332 Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 32.00.18 or later revision approved by the DGAC.
2.    Modify the 33G landing gear control units, held as spares, in accordance with paragraph 2.B.5. ASB 32.00.18 or later revision approved by the DGAC.
Note:  DGAC AD F-2005-100 (EASA Approval 2005-5889) refers.
Compliance:	For Requirement 1 - Before 31 December 2005.
For Requirement 2 - Before installation on a helicopter.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 1 September 2005.
Background:	The Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile of France has received reports of electro-valve power supply disruptions which have caused the landing gear to retract and the helicopter to drop resulting in damage to the forward section of the bottom structure.
This Directive requires the modification of the helicopter and landing gear control unit wiring to prevent landing gear retraction whilst the helicopter is on the ground.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

22 July 2005