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/AS 355/66 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (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 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
AD/AS 355/66
Amdt 1
Sliding Door 1/2005
Applicability: AS 355 helicopters, versions E, F, F1, F2, and N fitted with sliding doors.
Requirement: 1. Check the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail, in accordance with paragraph 2.B.1 of Eurocopter AS 355 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.39 Revision 1.
2. As a result of the Requirement 1 check, action paragraph 2.B.2 of the Requirement document:
- If criterion C1 is equal to or greater than 5mm, and criterion C2 is equal to or greater than 1.5mm, door operation in flight is allowed.
b. If criterion C1 is less than 5mm and/or criterion C2 is less than 1.5mm, door operation in flight is prohibited. A placard specifying this restriction is to be affixed to the instrument panel of the helicopter.
Note: DGAC AD F-2002-345-070 R1 refers.
Compliance: Before further flight after 3 July 2002; and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 flight hours.
The initial compliance time remains unchanged by this issue. This Amendment becomes effective on 20 January 2005.
Background: The DGAC received a report of sliding door aft roller dislodgement in flight due to severe wear on the rail. If this deficiency is evident and not corrected, loss of the sliding door could occur during flight.
Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
AD/AS 355/66 Amdt 1 (continued)
Amendment 1 is issued in response to a revision of the related DGAC AD, which converts the previous Alert Telex to an Alert Service Bulletin, with no change in technical content; but introducing an additional check criterion in order to prevent the risk of the aft guide roller coming out of the middle rail when the door is opened in flight.
David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 3 December 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 22 December 2004.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority Amendment Instrument 2005 (F2006B02516) was enacted in 2004 to address the issue of sliding door aft roller dislodgement in Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series Helicopters due to severe wear on the rail, which could potentially lead to loss of the sliding door during flight. This instrument was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. The policy objective behind this legislation was to ensure the airworthiness of the specified aircraft by implementing the necessary checks and restrictions on door operation in flight to prevent the identified safety risk. This directive revoked the previous Airworthiness Directive AD/AS 355/66 and introduced the requirement for checking the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail, as outlined in Eurocopter AS 355 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.39 Revision 1.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive (AD) applies to all Eurocopter AS 355 (Twin Ecureuil) Series helicopters, specifically versions E, F, F1, F2, and N, that are fitted with sliding doors. This regulatory requirement is enforced under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) delegate, who issues the directive to ensure compliance with safety standards. The directive mandates specific checks and actions to address potential safety risks associated with the sliding door mechanisms in these helicopters. The geographic reach of this directive is the Commonwealth of Australia, with CASA's authority extending across the nation to enforce compliance with the AD. The AD becomes effective from 20 January 2005, and it requires compliance before further flight after 3 July 2002 and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 100 flight hours. There are no explicit exclusions or exemptions mentioned in the text, implying that all applicable helicopters must adhere to the requirements. The AD can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, but such specifics are not detailed in the provided text.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of this Airworthiness Directive (AD) are found in the applicability and requirement sections. Section 3 specifies that this AD applies to Eurocopter AS 355 helicopters, versions E, F, F1, F2, and N that are fitted with sliding doors. Section 4 outlines the requirements, which mandate that the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail be checked in accordance with Eurocopter AS 355 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.39 Revision 1. Depending on the results of the check, door operation in flight may be allowed or prohibited, and a placard must be affixed to the instrument panel of the helicopter if flight operation is prohibited.
This AD imposes obligations on the owners and operators of the specified Eurocopter AS 355 helicopters. They are required to comply with the checks and actions outlined in the AD to ensure the safety of the aircraft. Specifically, they must check the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail. If the criteria specified in the AD are not met, door operation in flight must be prohibited and a placard must be affixed to the instrument panel. The AD also mandates that these checks be carried out before further flight after 3 July 2002 and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 100 flight hours.
Failure to comply with the AD may result in civil or criminal consequences. Under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, failure to comply with an AD is an offence, with a maximum penalty of 500 penalty units for an individual and 2500 penalty units for a body corporate. Additionally, the AD may be used as evidence in civil proceedings to establish negligence or breach of duty of care. Non-compliance may also result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, which could lead to grounding of the aircraft and further penalties.