{"id":"F2006L01663","name":"AD/SUPP/20 - Rope Down Device","slug":"ad-supp-20-rope-down-device","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":59385,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2006L01663-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Supplementary Equipment","sectionType":"division","heading":"Supplementary Equipment","content":"### Supplementary Equipment\n\n| AD/SUPP/20 | Rope Down Device | 7/2006 |\n| ---------- | ---------------- | ------ |\n\n| Applicability: | Helicopters equipped with police equipment EC135-AC62-POL in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate Z 25-20-62 Issue 4 or earlier, issued by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) of Switzerland. The affected parts of police equipment EC135-AC62-POL include the following part numbers (P/Ns):One person Rope Down Device, P/N 1351070, with Drawing Revision B or below;Four person Rope Down Device, P/N 1351080, with Drawing Revision C or below;Grip Frame right hand, P/N 1351085, with Drawing Revision E or below;Grip Frame left hand, P/N 1351090, with Drawing Revision D or below; and,Shear Bolt, P/N 1351211.This equipment is known to be installed on Eurocopter EC 135 Series helicopters. |\n| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Requirement:   | The use of affected parts listed in Applicability section of this Directive is prohibited until they are modified by the manufacturer.Return the affected parts to the manufacturer, Bucher Leichtbau AG, for modification.Shear bolts P/N 1351211, Bush P/N 0020164, Shear Bolt P/N 0020165, Shear Bolt P/N 1351233, and Shim P/N 1351058, held as spares, must be removed and discarded.Note 1: Switzerland FOCA AD HB-2005-428 refers.Note 2: Eurocopter Service Information EC135-076 and EC135-A072 refer; and Bucher Leichtbau AG Service Letter 25-SL-E01-02-05, and Service Bulletins25-SB-E01-01-05 and 25-SB-E01-14-05, refer.                                                                                      |\n| Compliance:    | Before further use after 6 July 2006.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |\n|                | This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 6 July 2006.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |\n\n| Background: | The affected Rope Down Devices and Grip Frames can be installed into the seat tracks of EC-135 helicopters. During a routine inspection of EC135-AC62-POL equipment, it was discovered that, due to the dimensions of the engaging parts, positive retention may not be ensured. Depending upon the height of floor covering, the Shear Bolt P/N 1351211 may be too short. |\n| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n\n![](image.001.png)  \nDavid Villiers  \nDelegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority\n\n23 May 2006","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"AD/SUPP/20","sectionType":"part","heading":"AD/SUPP/20","content":"## AD/SUPP/20","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Rope Down Device","sectionType":"part","heading":"Rope Down Device","content":"## Rope Down Device","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"7/2006","sectionType":"part","heading":"7/2006","content":"## 7/2006","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"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Airworthiness Directive maintains its original narrow scope. It addresses a specific safety defect in specific part numbers of police equipment installed on specific helicopter models. There is no evidence of scope creep; the directive remains tightly focused on the identified retention and shear bolt length issues with the Bucher Leichtbau rope down equipment."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple specific part numbers with revision levels (Drawing Revision B, C, D, E) creating precise but narrow applicability","Cross-references to foreign regulatory documents (Switzerland FOCA AD HB-2005-428) and manufacturer service bulletins (4 separate documents)","Nested applicability: applies to helicopters with specific equipment, which itself is certified under a specific Supplemental Type Certificate issue level","Dual action required: modification of installed equipment AND destruction of spare parts","Conditional compliance deadline tied to specific date (6 July 2006) rather than flight hours or cycles"],"plain_english_summary":"This AD orders immediate grounding and removal of certain Bucher rope‑down systems and grip frames installed under Swiss STC Z 25‑20‑62 (Issue 4 or earlier) on Eurocopter EC135 police helicopters. It requires affected units be returned to the manufacturer for modification and certain spare parts be discarded.\n\nIt affects operators using that Swiss‑certified police equipment — principally Australian police — because a poor lock engagement or incorrect shear bolt length could let the device fail during rappelling, creating a life‑threatening fall risk."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Directive is narrowly targeted at a specific retention/fitting defect in rope down devices and associated grip frames/shear bolts for EC135 police-configured helicopters. It requires a manufacturer modification and disposal of specific spare parts. The instrument does not expand beyond that original safety correction: it addresses a particular hardware dimension/retention problem, prescribes a technical fix via the manufacturer, and imposes an immediate compliance deadline. There is no evidence in the text that the Directive has been broadened to cover additional systems, additional aircraft types, or unrelated regulatory objectives."},"complexity_factors":["Short, single-issue directive focused on one safety defect","Five installed part numbers explicitly listed in Applicability (P/N 1351070, 1351080, 1351085, 1351090, 1351211)","Five spare part P/Ns required to be discarded (1351211, 0020164, 0020165, 1351233, 1351058)","Immediate compliance requirement (deadline: not to be used after 6 July 2006) increases operational urgency","Cross-references to multiple external documents (Swiss FOCA AD, two Eurocopter service documents, one Bucher service letter and two Bucher service bulletins) which operators must consult for technical detail","Simple mandatory actions (prohibit use, return to manufacturer, discard spares) with no layered exceptions or conditional sub‑parts"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this Directive does (in plain English)**\n\n- This is an airworthiness directive about Rope Down Devices (devices that let people be lowered from a helicopter on a rope) and their mounting frames as fitted to Eurocopter EC135 police-configured helicopters.\n\n- It prohibits continued use of specific part numbers until those parts have been modified by the manufacturer. The affected parts are:\n  - One-person Rope Down Device: P/N 1351070 (Drawing Rev B or below)\n  - Four-person Rope Down Device: P/N 1351080 (Drawing Rev C or below)\n  - Grip Frame, right hand: P/N 1351085 (Drawing Rev E or below)\n  - Grip Frame, left hand: P/N 1351090 (Drawing Rev D or below)\n  - Shear Bolt: P/N 1351211\n\n- In addition, some spare parts held in stock must be removed and discarded (shear bolts, bushes and a shim: P/Ns 1351211, 0020164, 0020165, 1351233 and 1351058).\n\n- The practical requirements are: stop using the listed parts until the manufacturer (Bucher Leichtbau AG) has modified them, return affected parts to the manufacturer for that modification, and discard the listed spare parts.\n\n- The compliance deadline is immediate for in‑service items: the parts must not be used after 6 July 2006. The Directive itself took effect on 6 July 2006.\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- Operators of Eurocopter EC135 helicopters fitted with the police equipment EC135-AC62-POL (installed under FOCA Supplemental Type Certificate Z 25-20-62 Issue 4 or earlier).\n- Maintenance organisations that hold or service the listed parts as installed items or spares.\n- The manufacturer (Bucher Leichtbau AG), who must carry out the approved modification.\n\n**Why it matters (mechanics and safety concern)**\n\n- During inspection it was found that, because of the dimensions of the engaging parts and depending on floor covering height, the shear bolt for the device may be too short. That means the device might not be positively retained (i.e. it may not be securely locked in the seat track), creating a safety risk when the device is used to lower personnel.\n\n**Stated purpose and practical trade‑offs**\n\n- The Directive's stated purpose is to eliminate the retention failure risk by requiring a manufacturer modification (see Applicability and Background sections).\n\n- Costs and who pays: operators bear the immediate costs — removal, return shipping, grounding time of the affected equipment or aircraft while the parts are modified, and disposal of scrapped spares. The manufacturer performs the modification, which reduces field work for individual operators but may create lead times and downtime.\n\n- Behavioural change required: operators must stop using the listed parts, remove them from service, and send them to Bucher Leichtbau AG for modification; maintenance records should be updated accordingly. Organisations must also destroy specified spare parts rather than re‑use them.\n\n- Implementation risks and burdens: the Directive creates a short‑term grounding/availability cost for affected helicopters until parts are returned and reinstalled. There is an administrative compliance burden (identifying affected parts, arranging returns, and documenting compliance). If many operators need the same modification at once, there is a risk of backlog at the manufacturer.\n\n- Effects on private choice and market: the requirement narrows short‑term supplier choices (operators must use the modified part only, and cannot continue using existing unmodified stock). Over time the market impact is limited: this is a targeted safety retrofit rather than a broad regulatory change in operating rules.\n\n**References and cross‑checks**\n\n- The Directive refers to Swiss FOCA AD HB-2005-428, Eurocopter service information EC135-076 and EC135-A072, and Bucher Leichtbau AG service letter and service bulletins. Those documents provide the technical method for modification and background technical detail; following the manufacturer/service documentation is the practical way to comply.\n\n(Sections cited: Applicability, Requirement, Compliance, Background.)"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device","history":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device/history","analysis":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/ad-supp-20-rope-down-device/documents"}}