COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
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 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.
AD/ECUREUIL/68 Ancillary Systems Unit - Printed
Circuit Board No.2
10/2001
DM
Applicability: AS 350 B3 helicopters equipped with Ancillary Systems Unit (ASU) printed circuit boards (PCB) No. 2 Part Number (P/N) SE 03022 (704A47720110).
Requirement: 1. Inspect ASU PCB No. 2, in accordance with the instructions in Eurocopter AS 350 Service Bulletin 77.00.07 date code 00-15, to determine whether resistor R8 is installed.
2. If the Requirement 1 inspection determines that resistor R8 is not installed, replace the PCB with a PCB that has R8 installed.
3. ASU PCB P/N SE 03022 (704A47720110) without resistor R8 installed may not be fitted to any helicopter.
Note: DGAC AD 2001-319-083(A) refers.
Compliance: For Requirement 1 - Within 25 hours time in service from the effective date of this Directive.
For Requirement 2 - Within 50 hours time in service from the Requirement 1 inspection.
For Requirement 3 - As of the effective date of this Directive.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 15 August 2001.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Background: This Directive requires inspection of ASU PCB No. 2 to ensure resistor R8 is installed. The absence of resistor R8 can lead to a malfunction of the electrical circuits supplying the BATT TEMP red warning light, the ENGINE CHIP amber caution light and the rotor RPM signal output to the Vehicle Engine Management Display (VEMD).
Eugene Paul Holzapfel
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 6 August 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 15 August 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) were enacted to provide comprehensive regulation of civil aviation within Australia. This Act addresses the need for stringent safety standards to be applied to aircraft and aeronautical products to ensure public safety. The CAR 1998 is administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under the authority of the Australian Government, with the primary policy objective being the maintenance of airworthiness of aircraft and the safety of persons in aviation. The Airworthiness Directives, such as AD/ECUREUIL/68, are issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998 to mandate specific actions in response to identified safety issues. These directives ensure that any unsafe conditions are rectified in a timely and effective manner, thereby maintaining high safety standards in the aviation sector.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically under PART 39 - 105, mandate the application of the Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This particular AD pertains to Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, more precisely, AS 350 B3 helicopters equipped with Ancillary Systems Unit (ASU) printed circuit boards (PCB) No. 2 Part Number (P/N) SE 03022 (704A47720110). The directive necessitates that the actions outlined in the requirement section be implemented to rectify any unsafe conditions. Compliance with this directive is mandatory for all aircraft and aeronautical products mentioned in the applicability section under the specified circumstances and timeframes as stated in the regulation. The directive applies on a national level within the Commonwealth of Australia and is enforceable by CASA, ensuring that all affected helicopters meet the specified airworthiness standards to maintain safety in civil aviation.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically PART 39 - 105, establish the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) which are critical for ensuring the safety and airworthiness of aircraft. Within this part, AD/ECUREUIL/68 pertains to Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters. This AD, issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 1998, mandates specific actions to rectify identified unsafe conditions. The directive applies to AS 350 B3 helicopters equipped with a particular Ancillary Systems Unit (ASU) printed circuit board (PCB). The directive requires inspecting the ASU PCB No. 2 to determine if resistor R8 is installed, replacing the PCB if the resistor is missing, and prohibiting the fitting of any ASU PCB P/N SE 03022 (704A47720110) without resistor R8.
The obligations imposed by this AD are clear and require compliance within specified timeframes. For Requirement 1, the inspection must occur within 25 hours of the AD's effective date. Requirement 2 necessitates the replacement of the PCB within 50 hours of the inspection if resistor R8 is found to be missing. Requirement 3 mandates that any ASU PCB without resistor R8 installed must not be fitted to any helicopter from the effective date of the AD. These obligations are designed to ensure that the identified safety issue is promptly addressed to prevent potential malfunctions.
Failure to comply with the AD can lead to significant consequences. The AD clearly outlines the necessary actions and timeframes, and non-compliance could result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy. Such a situation could lead to grounding of the aircraft, which would have severe operational and legal implications for the operators. Additionally, any resulting accidents or incidents due to non-compliance could lead to both civil and criminal liabilities for the operators, including substantial fines and potential imprisonment for the responsible parties. The seriousness of these consequences underscores the importance of adhering to the AD's requirements.