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/ECUREUIL/78 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 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
AD/ECUREUIL/78
Amdt 1
Sliding Door 1/2005
Applicability: AS 350 helicopters, versions B, BA, BB, B1, B2, B3, and D 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 350 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.41 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-2002-344-093 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 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters
AD/ECUREUIL/78 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 Airworthiness (Amendment) Instrument 2004 (F2006B09381) was enacted to address safety concerns associated with the sliding doors on Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters. This legislative instrument was issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and became effective on 20 January 2005. The primary objective of this directive is to mitigate the risk of in-flight dislodgement of the sliding door aft roller due to severe wear on the rail, which could potentially lead to the loss of the door during flight. The directive revokes the previous Airworthiness Directive AD/ECUREUIL/78 and introduces updated requirements to ensure the safety of the aircraft in accordance with the latest technical guidelines provided by the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC).
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 pertains to specific Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters, namely versions B, BA, BB, B1, B2, B3, and D, that are equipped with sliding doors. This directive applies to all such helicopters operating within the jurisdiction of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). The directive mandates specific actions to address an identified unsafe condition related to the sliding door mechanisms. It requires the checking of the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail in accordance with the specified criteria, and mandates either allowing or prohibiting door operation in flight based on the results of these checks. This directive must be complied with before further flight after a specified date and at intervals not to exceed 100 flight hours. The directive also references a related French aviation authority directive, indicating a collaborative approach to aviation safety. This Airworthiness Directive is effective from a specified date, as notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette.
Key Provisions
The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/ECUREUIL/78 Amdt 1, issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) under section 39.1(1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), pertains specifically to Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) series helicopters, including versions B, BA, BB, B1, B2, B3, and D, which are fitted with sliding doors. The directive mandates certain checks and actions to address a safety concern related to the sliding door roller and the front end opening of the middle rail. According to section 1 of the AD, operators must first check the diameter of the sliding door roller and the dimension of the front end opening of the middle rail, following the guidelines set out in paragraph 2.B.1 of Eurocopter AS 350 Alert Service Bulletin No. 05.00.41 Revision 1. Depending on the results of this check, operators must then follow the actions outlined in paragraph 2.B.2 of the same document. If the sliding door roller diameter and the middle rail opening meet the specified criteria, door operation in flight is permitted; however, if these criteria are not met, flight operation of the door is prohibited, and a placard must be affixed to the instrument panel indicating this restriction.
The AD imposes clear obligations on the parties it governs, specifically the operators of the mentioned helicopter models. Operators are required to perform the specified checks and comply with the actions stipulated in the AD. This includes verifying the dimensions of the sliding door roller and the front end opening of the middle rail, and taking appropriate measures based on the outcomes of these checks. Operators must ensure that the helicopter does not operate in flight with the sliding door if the criteria are not met, and they must affix a placard to the instrument panel to indicate this restriction. The AD also specifies the timeframes for compliance, requiring that the checks be conducted before further flight after 3 July 2002 and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 100 flight hours.
Failure to comply with the AD could result in serious safety risks, as highlighted in the background section. The AD was issued in response to a reported incident of the sliding door aft roller dislodging in flight due to severe wear on the rail. If this condition is not corrected, there is a risk of the sliding door being lost during flight. While the AD itself does not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance, any failure to adhere to the requirements of this AD could lead to enforcement actions by CASA under the CASR. Such actions may include fines, enforcement notices, or other regulatory measures intended to ensure compliance with the safety standards set by the AD.