AD/ECUREUIL/123 - Rotor Flight Controls - Load Compensator Lever

Overview

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) addresses an unsafe condition discovered in Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, specifically concerning the load compensator lever. The AD, titled "Rotor Flight Controls - Load Compensator Lever 2/2007 TX", was enacted to ensure that the appropriate part number of the load compensator lever is installed on AS 350 B1 and B2 helicopters, thereby mitigating the risk of yaw control travel restriction which could result in the loss of control of the helicopter. This directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and became effective on 8 December 2006, following an investigation by EUROCOPTER that revealed a discrepancy in the part numbers of the load compensator levers. The objective of the AD is to maintain the airworthiness of the affected helicopters by requiring inspections and specific actions to ensure compliance with the manufacturer's specifications.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive applies to EUROCOPTER AS 350 B1 and B2 helicopters and mandates specific actions concerning the load compensator lever to ensure the safe operation of these aircraft. The directive applies to all such helicopters in service and requires operators to inspect their aircraft records to determine the part number of the load compensator lever. Depending on the part number, operators may need to resume flights, contact the manufacturer for further instructions, or avoid installing certain part numbers altogether. This directive is enforceable under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and is effective as of 8 December 2006, with compliance required before further flight and within 10 hours of the directive's effective date. The directive does not explicitly exclude any specific entities or circumstances from its application, thereby encompassing all relevant aircraft within its purview.

Key Provisions

This Airworthiness Directive (AD), AD/ECUREUIL/123, applies to the Eurocopter AS 350 B1 and B2 helicopters, as detailed in the applicability section (1). The directive outlines specific actions that must be taken to address potential safety issues related to the load compensator lever of these aircraft (1). These actions are divided into three main requirements (1.1-1.3). Firstly, operators are required to inspect the aircraft records to determine the part number (P/N) of the load compensator lever. Depending on the identified part number, operators may resume flights if the lever has never been replaced or if it was replaced with P/N 355A27-0072-00. However, if the lever's P/N is 355A27-0082-00, operators must contact the manufacturer for further instructions (1.1). Secondly, if the aircraft records do not provide the required information, operators must inspect the aircraft to determine the P/N of the load compensator lever using specified instructions (1.2). Again, depending on the identified part number, flights may resume if P/N 355A27-0072-00 is installed, or the manufacturer must be contacted if P/N 355A27-0082-00 is found (1.2). Lastly, operators must not install yaw control load compensator lever P/N 355A27-0082-00 on any AS 350 B1 or AS 350 B2 aircraft (1.3). Operators of the affected Eurocopter AS 350 B1 and B2 helicopters must comply with the requirements set out in this AD to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft. Specifically, operators must inspect the aircraft records or the aircraft itself to determine the part number of the load compensator lever, following the instructions provided in the AD (1.1-1.2). If the installed lever P/N is 355A27-0072-00, operators may resume flights. However, if the lever's P/N is 355A27-0082-00, operators must contact the manufacturer for further instructions (1.1-1.2). Additionally, operators must not install yaw control load compensator lever P/N 355A27-0082-00 on any AS 350 B1 or AS 350 B2 aircraft (1.3). These actions must be taken before further flight and within the next 10 hours of time in service after the effective date of this AD (2). Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive may result in serious safety consequences, including the potential loss of control of the helicopter due to yaw control travel restriction. The AD specifies that these actions must be taken before further flight and within the next 10 hours of time in service after the effective date of this AD, which is 8 December 2006 (2). Non-compliance with these requirements could lead to civil or criminal penalties, although the specific penalties are not detailed in the AD. However, it is important to note that the AD references an EASA Emergency AD 2006-0363-E dated 1 December 2006, which may provide additional information on the potential consequences of non-compliance (1).