Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, established by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, aim to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation operations. As part of this overarching legislative framework, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) issues Airworthiness Directives to address specific safety concerns. The directive F2006B09311, issued under the authority of CASA, targets the Eurocopter EC 120 Series helicopters, specifically addressing an unsafe condition identified in the torque tube attachments of certain models. The directive mandates specific checks and modifications to ensure that the aircraft meet safety standards, thereby preventing potential risks associated with improper attachment of the torque tube. The objective of this directive is to enhance the operational safety of the affected helicopters by ensuring that the bolted assembly of the torque tube is secure, thereby mitigating the risk of in-flight failures.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies to Eurocopter EC 120 B helicopters with serial numbers 1001 through 1029. It mandates specific actions to ensure the airworthiness of these aircraft, particularly concerning the rotor flight controls. The directive requires that the attachment of the bolted assembly of the torque tube be checked, and if the aircraft is equipped with a single locking torque tube, the security of the bolted assembly must be verified and the torque tube attachments modified accordingly. The actions must be taken within specified time frames, ensuring that the checks and modifications are completed at prescribed intervals. This directive, effective from 5 September 2001, is binding on the relevant helicopter operators and must be strictly adhered to as outlined in the requirements and compliance sections of the directive.

Key Provisions

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under section 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically AD/EC 120/5, pertains to the rotor flight controls of Eurocopter EC 120 series helicopters, more precisely those with serial numbers ranging from 1001 to 1029. The directive requires that certain checks and modifications be performed on the torque tube attachments of these helicopters. For aircraft equipped with a torque tube featuring double locking, no action is required. However, if the aircraft is equipped with a torque tube with single locking, the security of the bolted assembly must be checked and, if necessary, the attachments must be modified. These actions are outlined in detail in paragraphs 2.B.1, 2.B.2, and 2.B.3 of Eurocopter EC 120 Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 67A003, with reference to DGAC AD 2001-373-008(A). The obligations under this AD are clear and time-bound. The initial compliance must occur within 50 hours of time in service after the AD's effective date, which is 5 September 2001. Further checks must be carried out within 50 hours of time in service following the initial compliance and must continue at intervals not exceeding 50 hours until the specified modifications are completed. The final modifications must be completed by the next 500-hour or 24-month inspection after the AD's effective date, whichever comes later. These obligations are aimed at ensuring the safety of the aircraft by addressing potential issues with the torque tube attachments. Failure to comply with the requirements of this AD may result in significant legal consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing the AD. Any non-compliance could lead to civil penalties, such as fines, and may also result in criminal charges if the non-compliance is deemed to have caused an unsafe condition that led to an accident or incident. The exact penalties are not specified in the text, but they can be severe given the potential safety implications of the non-compliance.