COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY

SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES

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 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 SA341 and SA342 (Gazelle) Series Helicopters

AD/GAZELLE/26 Flexible Disks of Tail Rotor Drive Shafts 13/2003

Applicability: SA 341 G and SA 342 J helicopters.

Requirement:  1.  Inspect the flexible discs in both the inclined and horizontal tail rotor drive shafts for correct installation of the disc jo-bolt washers in accordance with Eurocopter Alert Telex Number 65.63.

2.         Carry out repetitive inspection of flexible disc assemblies found to have jo-bolt washes incorrectly assembled in accordance with Requirement 1 of this directive.

3.         Replace flexible disc assemblies found to have jo-bolt washes incorrectly assembled in accordance with Requirement 1 of this directive.

Note: DGAC Airworthiness Directive U2003-394(A) refers.

Compliance: 1. Unless previously accomplished; within 10 hours time in service from the effective date of this directive.

2.         At intervals not to exceed 10 hours time in service.

3.         No later than 1 May 2004.

Compliance with Requirement 3 provides a terminating action for this directive. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 25 December 2003.

Background: This directive has been issued in response to a report of the tail rotor drive shaft flexible disc jo-bolt washers being found installed back to front. Incorrect installation of the washes may result in cracking of the flexible disc and loss of tail rotor drive.

Jim Coyne

Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 14 November 2003

The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 3 December 2003.

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