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## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2007- 0236

Date: 31 August 2007

No person may operate an aircraft to which an Airworthiness Directive applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that Airworthiness Directive unless otherwise agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry.


### Type Approval Holder’s Name:

EUROCOPTER Type/Model designation(s):

AS 350 and AS 355 helicopters

TCDS Number: EASA R.008 and R.146

Foreign AD: Not applicable.

Supersedure: This AD supersedes EASA AD 2006-0251R2 dated 29 June 2007.



### ATA 52 Doors – Sliding Door Rear Roller Support Shaft and Rear Fitting Inspection/Replacement

Manufacturer: EUROCOPTER (formerly EUROCOPTER FRANCE, AEROSPATIALE)

Applicability: Models AS 355 E, AS 355 F, AS 355 F1, AS 355 F2 and AS 355 N, all serial numbers; and Models AS 350 B, AS 350 BA, AS 350 BB, AS 350 B1, AS 350 B2, AS 350 B3 and AS 350 D, all serial numbers, if fitted with sliding door(s) pre-MOD 073298 and/or pre-MOD 073308.

Reason: EASA issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2006-0251 and its revisions following a case of total failure and a case of a crack discovered on the support shaft of the sliding door rear roller. Metallurgical and metallographic analyses revealed a non-conformity concerning the heat treatment of the material. Since then, other cases of cracks and failures of the roller support shaft rear attach fitting had been reported. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to the loss of the sliding door in flight. The present AD supersedes AD 2006-0251R2, retains the requirements thereof, requiring repetitive inspections until replacement of current parts with improved parts and also prohibits installation of another roller support fitting Part Number (P/N) 350A25-1270-22 on any AS 350 or AS 355 helicopter.

Effective Date: 14 September 2007

Compliance: After 01 September 2006 (the effective date of EASA AD 2006-0251R2):

### 2/2 (1) Required as indicated, until accomplishment of paragraph (2) of this directive. (a) For sliding doors with less than 90 Flight Hours (FH), Time in service (TIS): Upon accumulation of a total of 110 FH, TIS and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 110 FH, check for cracks the support shaft of the rear roller and the rear fitting of the sliding door(s), as instructed in paragraph (§) 2.B of EUROCOPTER Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 05.00.47 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 350 helicopters or ASB No. 05.00.45 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 355 helicopters. (b) For sliding doors with 90 FH or more, TIS: Within the next 20 FH, unless already accomplished in the last 90 FH and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 110 FH, check for cracks the support shaft of the rear roller and the rear fitting of the sliding door(s), as instructed in § 2.B of ASB No. 05.00.47 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 350 helicopters or ASB No. 05.00.45 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 355 helicopters. (2) No later than 30 September 2007, replace the roller support shaft and fitting(s) of the Left (LH) and/or Right (RH) sliding door(s) in accordance with § 2.B of ASB No. 52.00.30 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 350 or ASB No. 52.00.23 initial issue or later approved revision for AS 355.

After the effective date of this directive: (3) No person shall install, on any AS 350 or AS 355 helicopter, sliding doors listed in paragraph 1.A.2 of ASB No. 52.00.30 or ASB No. 52.00.23, both at revision 1 or later approved revision unless these sliding doors have been modified per MOD 073298 for LH doors and per MOD 073308 for RH doors in accordance with these ASBs; and (4) No person shall install, on any AS 350 or AS 355 helicopter, rail roller pins P/N 350A25-1275-20 and cast roller support fittings P/N 350A25- 1270-20 and P/N 350A25-1270-22.

Ref. Publications: EUROCOPTER AS350 ASB No. 05.00.47 initial issue and ASB No. 52.00.30 revision 1; or EUROCOPTER AS355 ASB No. 05.00.45 initial issues and ASB No. 52.00.23 revision 1, as applicable to helicopter type, or later approved revisions of these documents.

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated EASA can accept Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) for this AD. 2. This AD was posted on 07 August 2007 as PAD 07-114 for consultation until 21 August 2007. No comments were received during the consultation period. 3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be addressed to the AD Focal Point, Certification Directorate, EASA. E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu 4. For any questions concerning the technical content of the requirements in this AD, please contact: EUROCOPTER (STDI) - Aéroport de Marseille Provence 13725 Marignane Cedex – France; Tel: 33 (0) 4 42 85 97 97 - Fax: 33 (0) 4 42 85 99 66. E-mail: Directive.technical-support@eurocopter.com