AD/S-PUMA/41 Amdt 2 - Main Gearbox Bevel Gear

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Legislation au F2006B07117 In force Legislative Instrument

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AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE


For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/S- PUMA/41 Amdt 1. 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 332 (Super Puma) Series Helicopters

 

AD/S-PUMA/41

Amdt 2


Main Gearbox Bevel Gear 11/2003

 

 

Applicability: AS 332 helicopters, versions C, C1, L and L1 equipped with main gearbox (MGB) main reduction gear modules, part numbers 332A32-2027-00 and 332A32-2026-00, and equipped with bevel gears, part numbers 332A32-2181-00/-01/-02/-03/-04 or 331A32-3110-07/-09/-19 excluding:

 

Parts repaired in accordance with Repair Sheets (F.R.) 332A32-2181-ZA or 331A32- 3110-ZA, and

 

Parts inspected in accordance with AS 332 Letter to Repair Stations no. 183, and MGB’s overhauled after 31 December 2002.

Requirement: Carry out a borescope inspection of the bevel gear in accordance with Paragraph 2B of the Accomplishment Instructions, Eurocopter Alert Telex (A/T) 05.00.58 Revision 2.

 

Note 1: DGAC AD 2002-424-081(A) Revision 2 refers.

 

Compliance: 1. Installed MGB’s incorporating bevel gears which have logged more than 6,600 flight hours:

 

Within 50 flight hours from the effective date of this Directive, thereafter at intervals not to exceed 150 flight hours or 1000 torque application cycles for helicopters performing external load carrying missions, whichever occurs first, from the effective date of this Directive.

 

For MGB’s where the torque application cycles exceed 1000 cycles since the last borescope inspection was carried out; within 300 torque application cycles.

 

2.         Installed MGB’s incorporating bevel gears which have logged less than 6,600 flight hours:

Prior to reaching 6,600 flight hours, thereafter at 150 flight hour intervals or 1000 torque application cycles on helicopters that perform external load carrying missions, whichever occurs first.

Eurocopter AS 332 (Super Puma) Series Helicopters

 

AD/S-PUMA/41 Amdt 2 (continued)

 

3.         Spare MGB’s incorporating bevel gears that have logged more than 6,600 flying hours and held as spares and have been in service since last overhaul:

 

Prior to fitment, thereafter at 150 flight hour intervals or 1000 torque application cycles on helicopters that perform external load carrying missions, whichever occurs first.

 

4.         Spare MGB’s incorporating bevel gears that have logged more than 6,600 flying hours and have not been installed since last overhaul:

Within 150 flight hours of installation, thereafter at 150 flight hour intervals or 1000 torque application cycles on helicopters that perform external load carrying missions, whichever occurs first.

 

Note 2: External Load Carrying missions are defined as those missions where a torque application frequency of more than 4 cycles per hour.

 

This Amendment becomes effective on 30 October 2003.

 

Background: This Amendment amends the inspection interval to take into consideration the stress imposed on the MGB bevel gear during external load missions. External load missions will increase the growth rate of any cracks that have formed. An increase in the number of inspections will be required for helicopters involved in such operations to prevent failure of the bevel gear.

 

Advice has been received from the manufacturer that a cracked bevel gear was discovered following detection of metal particles on the magnetic plug. Until the cause of the cracking can be determined a repetitive inspection has been put in place to prevent in flight failure of the bevel gear.

 

Amendment 1 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 23 January 2003.

 

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 3 October 2002.


Jim Coyne

Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 19 September 2003

 


The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 October 2003.

Overview

The Airworthiness Directive AD/S-PUMA/41 Amdt 2 was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in 2003 to address an identified safety issue with the main gearbox bevel gears in Eurocopter AS 332 (Super Puma) series helicopters. This legislative instrument revokes a previous directive and introduces new requirements for borescope inspections of the bevel gears, particularly in response to incidents where metal particles were detected on the magnetic plug, indicating potential cracking. The directive aims to ensure the safe operation of these helicopters by mandating more frequent inspections for those involved in external load carrying missions, where the stress on the bevel gears is significantly higher. The policy objective is to mitigate the risk of in-flight failure of the bevel gear by implementing a structured inspection regime based on flight hours and torque application cycles.

Scope and Application

The Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/S-PUMA/41 Amdt 2, issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), applies specifically to Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma series helicopters, versions C, C1, L, and L1, that are equipped with main gearboxes and bevel gears meeting certain part numbers. The AD mandates borescope inspections of the bevel gears to ensure airworthiness and prevent potential failures, particularly focusing on those helicopters involved in external load carrying missions, which subject the gearbox to higher stress levels. The directive does not apply to parts that have been repaired according to specific repair sheets or inspected under certain conditions, as well as those that have undergone overhauls after a specified date. Compliance with the AD requires inspections within specific timeframes based on flight hours or torque application cycles, depending on the operational context of the helicopter. This AD is applicable nationally within the Commonwealth of Australia and is enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/S-PUMA/41 Amdt 2 pertain to the specific requirements for inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) bevel gears of Eurocopter AS 332 (Super Puma) Series Helicopters. According to Section 1, a borescope inspection of the bevel gear must be carried out in accordance with Paragraph 2B of the Accomplishment Instructions, Eurocopter Alert Telex (A/T) 05.00.58 Revision 2 (Section 1). Section 2 outlines the compliance timeline for various MGB conditions, such as installed MGBs with more than 6,600 flight hours, those with less than 6,600 flight hours, spare MGBs that have been in service, and spare MGBs that have not been installed since the last overhaul (Section 2). The AD imposes several obligations and requirements on the parties and entities it governs. Operators and owners of AS 332 helicopters must ensure that the specified borescope inspections are carried out by qualified personnel, following the instructions in the requirement section (Section 1). Additionally, the inspections must be conducted in accordance with the compliance timeline provided in Section 2, depending on the condition of the MGB and its history of flight hours and torque application cycles. Furthermore, any MGBs that have been repaired or overhauled in accordance with specific repair sheets or letters must be excluded from the AD's requirements (Section 1). Any breach of the requirements set out in this AD may result in serious consequences, including potential safety hazards and non-compliance with Australian Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR). The AD does not explicitly state any specific penalties or civil/criminal consequences for non-compliance; however, failure to adhere to the AD's requirements may lead to further investigation by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and potential enforcement actions, such as fines, suspension or revocation of airworthiness certificates, or other regulatory measures (CASR Part III, Division 1, Section 39.1). The maximum penalties for such enforcement actions are determined by the severity of the breach and are outlined in the CASR.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.