AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

released by DIRECTION GENERALE DE L’AVIATION CIVILE

Inspection and/or modifications described below are mandatory. No person may operate a product to which this

Airworthiness Directive applies except in accordance with the requirements of this Airworthiness Directive.

Translation of ‘Consigne de Navigabilité’ ref. : 2001-605(AB)

In case of any difficulty, reference should be made to the French original issue.

December 12, 2001 SICMA AERO SEAT

Equipment: passenger seats 2001-605(AB)

GSAC

SICMA AERO SEAT

Equipment: passenger seats

Backrest links - Life limit (16 g seats) (ATA 05, 25)

1. APPLICABILITY:

SICMA AERO SEAT passenger seats of series 9140, 9166, 9173, 9174, 9184, 9188, 9196, 91B7,

91B8, 91C0, 91C2, 91C3, 91C4, 91C5, 9301, 9501, equipped with backrest links P/N 90-000200-104-1

and P/N 90-000200-104-2. A detailed list of affected seat P/Ns is given in Annex 1, of SICMA AERO

SEAT Service Bulletin 90-25-012, Revision 3.

2. REASON:

Cracks have been found on seat backrest links P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2. These

cracks can significantly affect the structural integrity of seat backrests. Therefore a life limit is

introduced on the links. On 9g seats also affected by this problem, stronger unlimited life links have

been developed and their installation has been rendered mandatory. However, on 16g seats the

affected links have a direct influence on certification dynamic tests and cannot be replaced by similar

stronger links without performing again all dynamic tests for each seat part number.

3. COMPLIANCE:

The following measures are rendered mandatory on the effective date of this Airworthiness Directive

(AD), unless already accomplished:

- initial visual inspection for every applicable seats,

- routine visual inspection must be performed for applicable seats having more than 12000 flight

hours or more than four years since new on the effective date of this AD, until the occurrence of

link replacement,

- link replacement.

3.1. Initial visual inspection

Initial visual inspection of these backrest links must be performed as per Part 1 of SICMA AERO

SEAT Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3:

- before 6,000 flight hours since new or since last backrest link installation, or before two years

from seat manufacturing date or from last backrest link installation date, whichever occurs

later, or

- within the next 900 flight hours or before five (5) months from the effective date of this

Airworthiness Directive, whichever occurs later.

n/JFS .../...
GSAC AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ref. : 2001-605(AB) Page n° 2

If no crack is found, replace the links as described in the paragraph 3.3 of this AD.

If a crack is found between the side of the backrest link and the lock out pin hole, but does not pass

this lock out pin hole (see Figure 2, page 7/10 of SICMA AERO SEAT Service Bulletin

90-25-012 Revision 3), replace both backrest links of affected seat, before accumulation of further

600 flight hours, without exceeding three (3) months, after the inspection date, with new links of same

part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2). Backrest link replacement procedure is

described in the paragraph 3.3. of this AD.

If crack is passing beyond the lock out pin-hole (see Figure 2, page 7/10 of SICMA AERO SEAT

Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3), replace both backrest links of affected seat, before further

flight with links of same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2). Backrest link

replacement procedure is described in the paragraph 3.3. of this AD.

For affected seats having more than 12,000 flight hours or seat manufacturing date of more than four

years old, on the effective date of this AD, routine visual inspection must be performed until the

occurrence of link replacement, as per paragraph 3.2. of this AD.

3.2. Routine visual inspection.

For affected seats having more than 12,000 flight hours or more than four years old since seat

manufacturing date, on the effective date of this AD, repeat visual inspection, until next backrest

link replacement, as per Part 1 of SICMA AERO SEAT Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3:

every 900 flight hours or every five (5) months whichever occurs later, without exceeding

3,500 flight hours or eighteen (18) months from the effective date of this AD.

If a crack is found between the side of the backrest link and the lock out pin hole, but does not

pass this lock out pin hole (see Figure 2, page 7/10 of SICMA AERO SEAT Service Bulletin

90-25-012 Revision 3), replace both backrest links of affected seat, before accumulation of

further 600 flight hours, without exceeding three (3) months, after the inspection date, with new

links of same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2). Backrest link

replacement procedure is described in the paragraph 3.3. of this AD.

If crack is passing beyond the lock out pin-hole (see Figure 2, page 7/10 of SICMA AERO SEAT

Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3), replace both backrest links of affected seat, before

further flight with links of same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2).

Backrest link replacement procedure is described in the paragraph 3.3. of this AD.

3.3. Routine link replacement.

3.3.1. Backrest links P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2 must be replaced with new

links of same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2), before 12,000

flight hours since new, or since last backrest link installation, or before four (4) years from

seat manufacturing date, or from last backrest link installation date, or within the next

3,500 flight hours, or before eighteen (18) months from the effective date of this AD,

whichever occurs later.

3.3.2. From the effective date of this AD, prior to reinstallation, all applicable seats having more

than 12,000 flight hours since new or since last backrest link installation, or being more

than four (4) years old since seat manufacturing date or since last backrest link installation

date, whichever occurs later, should have their backrest links replaced with new links of

same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2).

.../...
GSAC AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE ref. : 2001-605(AB) Page n° 3

3.3.3. Replacement instructions of P/N 90-000200-104-1 et 90-000200-104-2 backrest links, with

new backrest links of same part number (P/N 90-000200-104-1 and 90-000200-104-2) are

given in Part 2 of SICMA AERO SEAT Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3.

REF.: SICMA AERO SEAT Service Bulletin 90-25-012 Revision 3

(or further approved revisions).

EFFECTIVE DATE : DECEMBER 22, 2001