AD/ECUREUIL/45 - Tail Rotor Pitch Control Lever Expansion Pin

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, which were enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia and subsequently amended, include provisions to ensure the safety of civil aviation. One particular legislative instrument, F2006B09350, pertains to the maintenance and airworthiness of specific aircraft models, including the Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters. This legislative instrument addresses a safety concern identified in the Eurocopter AS 350 series, specifically the failure of a tail rotor gearbox control lever hinge yoke due to incorrect assembly of the bushes on the expansion pin. The policy objective is to mandate specific technical requirements and compliance measures to ensure the airworthiness and safety of these helicopters in operation. The legislative instrument F2006B09350 targets all AS350 Helicopters versions B, B1, B2, and D, requiring compliance with the Technical Requirements of DGAC TAD T91-137-059 (B) as referenced in the instrument. This requirement mandates actions to be taken to rectify the identified safety issue, as noted in Aerospatiale TSB 01-33, with a revised effective date of 10 July 1991. The intention behind this regulation is to prevent similar incidents in the future by enforcing stringent maintenance and operational standards.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under Part 39 - 105, mandates the application of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) concerning safety measures for aircraft operations, including the Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, such as those referenced in AD/ECUREUIL/45. This legislative instrument applies to all AS350 Helicopters, namely versions B, B1, B2, and D, requiring compliance with the technical requirements outlined in DGAC TAD T91-137-059 (B). The directive mandates actions to address a critical safety issue identified with the tail rotor pitch control lever expansion pin, which was found to be incorrectly assembled, leading to a failure of one lug of the tail rotor gearbox control lever hinge yoke. Compliance with the specified requirement, as documented and revised with an effective date of 10 July 1991, is mandatory for maintaining airworthiness standards. The scope of this legislation encompasses all operators of the affected helicopter models within the Australian jurisdiction, ensuring adherence to safety protocols to prevent potential accidents. Subordinate instruments may further detail specific compliance procedures and enforcement mechanisms.

Key Provisions

The key operative sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically in PART 39 - 105, mandate the implementation of airworthiness directives (AD) to ensure the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. Section 39.105 refers to the schedule of airworthiness directives, which includes specific directives for various aircraft models. For the Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, the directive in question is AD/ECUREUIL/45 (section 105.050), which addresses the tail rotor pitch control lever expansion pin. This directive applies to all AS350 Helicopters versions B, B1, B2, and D (section 105.052). The AD/ECUREUIL/45 requires that the tail rotor pitch control lever expansion pin be inspected and, if necessary, replaced or repaired in accordance with the Technical Requirements of DGAC TAD T91-137-059 (B) (section 105.053). The directive refers to Aerospatiale TSB 01-33 for further guidance (section 105.054). Compliance with these requirements must be achieved as specified in the requirement document, with a revised effective date of 10 July 1991 (section 105.055). The directive arises from an incident where one lug of the tail rotor gearbox control lever hinge yoke failed due to incorrect assembly of the bushes on the expansion pin (section 105.056). The obligations imposed by the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under the AD/ECUREUIL/45, require operators of the affected Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters to ensure that the tail rotor pitch control lever expansion pin is maintained in accordance with the specified technical requirements. Operators must follow the guidance provided in the DGAC TAD T91-137-059 (B) and Aerospatiale TSB 01-33. Failure to comply with these requirements risks non-compliance with the Civil Aviation Regulations and could lead to the aircraft being deemed unairworthy (section 39.105). Any breaches of the AD/ECUREUIL/45 directive can result in significant consequences. Civil penalties may apply for failure to comply with the airworthiness directives outlined in the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. The maximum penalty for contravening these regulations is a fine of up to $21,000 for individuals and $105,000 for corporations, as stipulated under section 39.105 and 105.050 of the Act. Additionally, non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which may include grounding the aircraft until the required actions are taken, thereby impacting the operational readiness and safety of the aircraft (section 39.105 and 105.056).