Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters

AD/ECUREUIL/100 Emergency Floatation Gear - All-up Operating Weight 8/2004 DM

Applicability: Model AS 350 BA helicopters equipped with Aerazur emergency floatation gear comprising: Left hand container assembly 158170 or 158210-1, and right hand side container assembly 158171 or 158215-1. The containers are part of the “emergency floatation gear” installations, with removable parts, part number 350A82-8040-00 or part number 350A82-8040-01.

Requirement: The all-up operating weight of helicopters equipped with the emergency floatation gear specified in the Applicability section of this directive is limited to 1950 kg for all flights over water, as specified in Eurocopter AS 350 Alert Service Bulletin No. 01-00-55.

Note: DGAC Emergency AD UF-2004-085 refers.

Compliance: Before further flight after 23 June 2004, unless already accomplished. This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 23 June 2004.

Background: This Directive is issued to limit the helicopter all-up weight to 1,950 kg, for all flights over water, for AS 350 BA helicopters equipped with Aerazur emergency floatation gear specified in the applicability part of this Directive. This emergency floatation gear is limited to an all-up weight of 1,950 kg and is therefore insufficient for the BA model helicopter all-up weight of 2,100 kg.

FMI: http://casa.gov.au/avreg/aircraft/ad/ADfiles/Rotor/ECUREUIL/ECUREUIL-100.pdf