{"id":"F2006B09330","name":"AD/ECUREUIL/12 Amdt 3 - Tail Rotor Blade Pitch Horn","slug":"ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":53503,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006B09330-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"AD/ECUREUIL/12 Amdt 3 - Tail Rotor Blade Pitch Horn","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nCOMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY\n\nSCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES\n\n \n\n![](image.001.png)  Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) Series Helicopters\n\n \n\n# AD/ECUREUIL/12\n\nAmdt 3\n\nApplicability: All models.\n\n# Tail Rotor Blade Pitch Horn 5/87\n\n \n\nRequirement: Action in accordance with Aerospatiale AS 350 Telex Service 01.07B. Compliance:  As detailed in the requirement document.\n\nNote: This inspection may be accomplished by the pilot-in-command, in which case the precise AD reference shall be entered in a certification made on the Maintenance Release coincident with that for the daily inspection.\n\n \n\nBackground:  The manufacturer has introduced a retirement life for the subject tail rotor pitch horns. Amendment 3 changes the Compliance statement regarding certification of the inspection.\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This amendment remains tightly focused on its original purpose: ensuring the airworthiness of tail rotor pitch horns on AS 350 helicopters. The only change in Amendment 3 is a procedural clarification about documentation — it does not expand the technical scope, add new aircraft models, or introduce additional maintenance requirements beyond what was originally intended."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (under 200 words)","Only 1 substantive requirement with reference to external technical document (Aerospatiale Telex Service 01.07B)","Minimal defined terms (only standard aviation terminology like 'Maintenance Release' and 'pilot-in-command')","Single amendment changing only administrative recording requirements","No nested conditions, exceptions, or cross-references to other legislation beyond the parent Civil Aviation Regulations 1998"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** This is an Airworthiness Directive (AD) — essentially a mandatory safety notice issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for helicopter operators.\n\n**What it does:** It requires owners and operators of Eurocopter AS 350 (Ecureuil) series helicopters to inspect or replace the **tail rotor blade pitch horn** — a critical component that controls the angle of the tail rotor blades. The manufacturer (Aerospatiale, now Airbus Helicopters) has set a **retirement life** (maximum usage limit) for these parts, meaning they must be taken out of service after a certain number of flight hours or cycles.\n\n**Who it affects:** Anyone operating these specific helicopter models in Australia — including charter services, emergency services, tourism operators, and private owners.\n\n**What's new in this version (Amendment 3):** The update changes how pilots record when they've done the required inspection. If a pilot does the check themselves (rather than a licensed mechanic), they must now write the exact reference number of this AD on the aircraft's **Maintenance Release** (the official document showing the aircraft is safe to fly) at the same time they sign off on the daily inspection.\n\n**Why it matters:** The tail rotor keeps the helicopter from spinning uncontrollably. If the pitch horn fails, the pilot could lose control of the tail rotor, potentially causing a crash. This rule ensures worn parts are replaced before they fail."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Amendment 3 alters the Compliance statement relating to how the required inspection is certified when performed by the pilot-in-command. The underlying safety requirement (inspect and act per Aerospatiale Telex 01.07B and to observe the newly introduced retirement life for the pitch horns) remains, but the amendment changes the administrative/recording mechanism for compliance (Background; Note)."},"complexity_factors":["Narrow technical scope (specific part: tail rotor blade pitch horn) but affects all AS350 models (Applicability).","Mandates compliance with an external technical document (Aerospatiale AS 350 Telex Service 01.07B) rather than setting all procedures and intervals within the AD itself (Requirement; Compliance).","Introduces a manufacturer-defined retirement life for the part, obliging operators to manage life-limited parts and replacement scheduling (Background).","Allows non-maintainer personnel (pilot-in-command) to perform the inspection, with a specific record-keeping requirement, which shifts implementation details to operators and crew (Note).","Amendment focuses on certification wording, which is a narrow but consequential administrative change (Background)."],"plain_english_summary":"This airworthiness directive applies to all Eurocopter AS350 helicopters and mandates the inspections and actions in Aerospatiale AS 350 Telex Service 01.07B. It implements the manufacturer’s retirement life for tail‑rotor pitch horns, so parts must be retired/replaced per that telex. The AD allows the pilot‑in‑command to perform the inspection but requires the exact AD reference be entered on the aircraft Maintenance Release when the pilot certifies the daily check. Operators bear compliance costs."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn","history":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-ecureuil-12-amdt-3-tail-rotor-blade-pitch-horn/documents"}}