{"id":"F2005L01041","name":"AD/EC 120/9 Amdt 1 - Collective Pitch Lever Friction Mechanism","slug":"ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":34586,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005L01041-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters","sectionType":"division","heading":"Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters","content":"### Eurocopter EC 120 Series Helicopters\n\n| AD/EC 120/9 Amdt 1 | Collective Pitch Lever Friction Mechanism | 6/2005 |\n| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------- | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | All EC 120 helicopters.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |\n| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | 1. Operation of the collective pitch lever friction mechanism by helicopter crews:a. Only slightly tighten the collective pitch lever friction.b. If stiff operation is felt in flight with the collective pitch lever, loosen the collective pitch lever friction immediately.2. Action in accordance with the instructions described in paragraph 2.B.2.a. of Eurocopter EC 120 Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 67A009, or later EASA approved revision.3. Action in accordance with the instructions described in paragraph 2.B.2.b. of ASB No. 67A009, or later EASA approved revision.Note: DGAC AD F-2002-606 R1 refers. |\n| Compliance:    | 1. As from the next flight after 22 January 2003, and each flight thereafter; until compliance with Requirement 2.2. Within 110 flight hours or 3 months after 22 January 2003, whichever occurs first; and each time a replacement friction mechanism is installed on a helicopter.3. Within 110 flight hours or 13 months, whichever occurs first, following compliance with Requirement 2.The compliance times remain unchanged by this issue.                                                                                                                                                                               |\n|                | This Amendment becomes effective on 9 June 2005.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |\n\n| Background: | A report was received of collective pitch lever stiffness during flight. Investigation revealed an increased pad friction factor due to local unevenness of the pad material.Amendment 1 is issued in response to a revision of the related DGAC AD, which converts the Requirement document to an Alert Service Bulletin; with no change to the technical content. |\n| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n27 April 2005","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/EC 120/9 Amdt 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/EC 120/9 Amdt 1","content":"## AD/EC 120/9 Amdt 1","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Collective Pitch Lever Friction Mechanis","sectionType":"part","heading":"Collective Pitch Lever Friction Mechanism","content":"## Collective Pitch Lever Friction Mechanism","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"6/2005","sectionType":"part","heading":"6/2005","content":"## 6/2005","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Amendment 1 converts the related DGAC airworthiness directive into an Alert Service Bulletin reference but states there is no change to the technical content; applicability (all EC 120 helicopters) and the required actions remain the same (Background)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope (only Eurocopter EC 120 series) reduces breadth of affected parties (Applicability).","Requires immediate in‑flight crew action when stiffness is detected, creating operational and safety sensitivity (Requirement 1).","Relies on external document for detailed procedures (Eurocopter ASB No. 67A009 or later EASA revision), adding dependency on another issuer (Requirement 2 and 3).","Multiple, specific compliance windows to track (next flight after 22 Jan 2003; 110 flight hours or 3 months; 13 months), increasing administrative tracking burden (Compliance).","Installation of a replacement friction mechanism restarts some compliance obligations, creating recurring compliance events (Compliance).","Amendment is largely administrative (converts DGAC AD to ASB) with no technical change, which simplifies substantive obligations but requires users to follow a differently referenced document (Background)."],"plain_english_summary":"This directive requires crews of Eurocopter EC 120 helicopters to keep the collective pitch lever friction only slightly tightened, to loosen it immediately if stiffness is felt in flight, and to follow the inspection and replacement procedures in Eurocopter ASB No. 67A009 (or later EASA-approved revisions). It was issued after reports that uneven pad material increased friction; Amendment 1 converts the referenced DGAC AD into an Alert Service Bulletin without changing the technical requirements. Compliance deadlines and repeat checks apply after any replacement."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This amendment explicitly states it makes no technical changes to the original directive. It solely updates the reference document type from a French DGAC Airworthiness Directive to a Eurocopter Alert Service Bulletin. The scope remains limited to the collective pitch lever friction mechanism on EC 120 helicopters."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping compliance deadlines (immediate, 3 months/110 hours, 13 months/110 hours)","Cross-reference to external technical document (Eurocopter ASB 67A009) without reproducing its contents","Conditional logic ('whichever occurs first') in compliance timing","Nested requirements (Requirement 3 depends on completion of Requirement 2)","Reference to superseded foreign aviation authority document (DGAC AD F-2002-606 R1)"],"plain_english_summary":"This is an **Airworthiness Directive** — a mandatory safety order issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for specific aircraft.\n\n**What it does:**\nThis directive orders owners and operators of **Eurocopter EC 120 helicopters** to take specific actions regarding the **collective pitch lever friction mechanism** — a device that controls how stiff or loose the main flight control lever feels to the pilot.\n\n**Why it matters:**\nA safety investigation found that the friction pads in this mechanism could develop uneven wear, causing the collective lever to become unexpectedly stiff during flight. This could make the helicopter difficult to control.\n\n**Who must act:**\nAnyone operating or maintaining an EC 120 helicopter.\n\n**What must be done:**\n- **Immediately (from January 2003):** Pilots must only apply light friction to the collective lever, and must loosen it immediately if stiffness is felt in flight.\n- **Within 110 flight hours or 3 months:** Inspect and take corrective action per Eurocopter's Alert Service Bulletin 67A009.\n- **Within 110 flight hours or 13 months:** Complete additional maintenance actions per the same bulletin.\n\n**Key point:** This document (Amendment 1, June 2005) makes no technical changes — it simply updates the paperwork reference from a French aviation directive to an industry service bulletin."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism","history":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-ec-120-9-amdt-1-collective-pitch-lever-friction-mechanism/documents"}}