AD/S-PUMA/59 - Ice and Rain Protection - Electrical Multi-Purpose Air Intakes

The AD is built around a small set of technical and operational concepts drawn from the aircraft configuration and a specific manufacturer Alert Service Bulletin. Those concepts determine when, how and by whom the AD's measures must be applied.

• Applicability and configuration gate. The AD applies only to AS 332 C, C1, L and L1 helicopters that both have electrical MPAIs modified by specific modification numbers (0725974 and 0725998) or by compliance with Eurocopter SB No. 30.00.46, and that are fitted with two specific pipes, P/N 332A72-1893-00 (LH) and 332A72-1893-01 (RH). The AD therefore triggers only when that combination of model, modification/SB compliance and part numbers exists (Applicability).

• Blanking covers as an alternative configuration. The AD separates aircraft into those equipped with MPAI blanking covers (equivalent to Mod 332A0725885 or SB No. 30.00.44) and those not so equipped. That distinction creates two distinct regulatory tracks. If blanking covers are fitted, the AD requires the inflation check; if not, the AD requires both the inflation check and immediate operational prohibitions for certain icing-related conditions (Requirement: A and B).

• Bullet seal inflation check. The operative technical test is a bullet seal inflation pressure check, to be performed "per instructions described in Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later EASA / DGAC approved revisions" (Requirement A.1; Requirement 3). The AD does not reproduce the procedural detail of the Alert SB, it makes the SB the operative source for the inspection technique and replacement method.

• Numeric pass/fail threshold. The AD sets a quantitative pass condition: a pressure gauge reading of 3 bars or more on both right-hand and left-hand sides means the pipes meet the requirements and no further action is necessary before resuming flight (Requirement 4). If either side reads less than 3 bars, replacement of the non-compliant pipe(s) is required as per the Alert SB (Requirement 5).

• Operational prohibitions for icing-related conditions. For helicopters without blanking covers, the AD prescribes temporary prohibitions for operations in specific meteorological/temperature windows: flying into clouds or fog when observed outside air temperature (OAT) is equal to or lower than +3 degrees Celsius; flying in rain when OAT is between -3 and +3 degrees Celsius inclusive; flying in falling or recirculating snow when OAT is equal to or above -3 degrees Celsius; and taking off after stand-by on ground or after taxiing in falling snow at OAT equal to or above -3 degrees Celsius (Requirement B.2, drawn from Basic Flight Manual Section 2 text quoted in the AD). Those prohibitions are a behavioural control which remains in force until the bullet seal inflation check and any required corrective work are completed.

• Maintenance scheduling trigger. Several compliance items are tied to the "next engine removal" after the effective date, with outer limits stated as 550 flight hours or 24 months, whichever is sooner (Compliance items 1 and 3). That ties the AD to routine maintenance events and sets firm maximum delay windows.

• Reference to foreign airworthiness authority action. The AD explicitly refers to French DGAC AD F-2002-257-080 R1, which is noted as being approved under EASA reference number 2005-1916 dated 22 February 2005, and uses Eurocopter service bullets as the technical norm (Requirement 5, Note; cross-references to SBs 30.00.44, 30.00.46, and Alert SB 30.00.52). The AD therefore incorporates, by reference, manufacturer and other aviation authority-approved corrective material.

These concepts translate into a set of concrete operator choices: establish whether an airframe matches the exact applicability filters; if yes, determine whether blanking covers are fitted; if blanking covers are fitted, carry out the inflation check at the next engine removal within the specified maximum delay; if blanking covers are not fitted, implement temporary operational prohibitions immediately (within 10 days and before flying in the defined conditions), carry out the inflation check at the next engine removal or within the 550 fh/24 month limit, and replace any pipe reading under 3 bars before further flight.

The AD identifies a clearly delimited set of stakeholders who must take action or will be affected by the measures. Those stakeholders are described in the AD itself.

Primary affected parties

• Aircraft operators and owners of Eurocopter AS 332 C, C1, L and L1 helicopters. The Applicability clause makes the AD directly relevant to operators of those models that are fitted with electrical MPAIs modified per Modifications 0725974 and 0725998 or in compliance with Eurocopter SB No. 30.00.46, and which have the specified pipe part numbers 332A72-1893-00 (LH) and 332A72-1893-01 (RH). Only operators whose helicopters meet all those configuration criteria are in scope (Applicability).

• Maintenance organisations and maintenance personnel. The AD requires a technical inspection , the bullet seal inflation check , to be performed "per instructions described in Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" (Requirement A.1; Requirement 3). Maintenance providers will also be responsible for replacing pipes that fail the pressure threshold, in accordance with Alert SB instructions (Requirement 5). The compliance timings (next engine removal, 550 flight hours, 24 months) interact with maintenance planning and resource allocation (Compliance).

• Flight crew and operations departments. For helicopters not fitted with blanking covers, the AD imposes temporary prohibitions on certain operations in specific weather/OAT conditions (Requirement B.2). That places immediate operational constraints on pilots and flight operations managers who must update flight manuals or operating bulletins to reflect the prohibitions, and must make go/no-go decisions consistent with them.

Indirectly affected parties

• Regulators and the national airworthiness authority. The AD was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (delegate James Coyne), and it cross-references DGAC and EASA approvals. While the AD text does not set out enforcement procedures, regulators are the issuing authority and signature is included (signature block, effective date).

• Suppliers and parts providers. Replacement parts for pipes failing the 3 bar test will be required, so suppliers holding stocks of P/N 332A72-1893-00 and 332A72-1893-01, or appropriate replacement parts per Alert SB instructions, will be engaged.

Who is not affected

• Helicopters of other models or those without the specified modifications or pipe part numbers fall outside the AD’s applicability and are not compelled by this document. Similarly, AS 332 helicopters already compliant with Mod 332A0725885 or SB No. 30.00.44 by fitting blanking covers are in a different compliance pathway, but still must perform the bullet seal inflation check.

Geographic and temporal scope

• The AD is dated and effective 7 July 2005, and compliance timeframes are expressed relative to that effective date. The AD refers to French DGAC AD material and to EASA approvals; it therefore sits within a cross-jurisdictional airworthiness network, but the Australian AD itself applies to Australian-regulated operators to whom it is issued (effective date, cross-references).

In short, the operational effect is concentrated: a defined subset of AS 332 operators must perform a specific inspection, insert temporary operational restrictions if blanking covers are absent, and likely bear the cost and downtime of pipe replacement where the 3 bar threshold is not met.

This AD establishes a set of affirmative duties tied to helicopter configuration and inspection results. The document does not articulate rights such as appeal, exemptions or compensation; it sets prescriptive maintenance and operational duties that fall on operators and maintenance organisations.

Duties specified in the AD

• Confirm applicability. Operators must determine whether each helicopter is within scope by checking model, whether the electrical MPAIs have been modified per Modifications 0725974 and 0725998 or to SB No. 30.00.46, and whether the pipes installed are P/N 332A72-1893-00 (LH) and P/N 332A72-1893-01 (RH) (Applicability).

• For helicopters with MPAI blanking covers. If the helicopter is fitted with MPAI blanking covers (equivalent to Mod 332A0725885 or SB No. 30.00.44), the operator must check the bullet seal inflation per the instructions in Alert SB 30.00.52 (Requirement A.1). The compliance schedule ties that check to the next engine removal or the outer limit of 550 flight hours/24 months, whichever is first (Compliance item 1).

• For helicopters without blanking covers. If blanking covers are not fitted, the operator must: (a) add temporary prohibitions to the Basic Flight Manual Section 2 that forbid flight into clouds or fog at OAT ≤ +3°C, forbid flight in rain at OAT between -3°C and +3°C inclusive, forbid flight in falling or recirculating snow at OAT ≥ -3°C, and forbid take-off after standing-by on ground or taxiing in falling snow at OAT ≥ -3°C (Requirement B.2); and (b) perform the bullet seal inflation check per Alert SB 30.00.52 (Requirement 3). The AD requires these prohibitions to be put in place "within 10 days after the effective date of this AD but before performing any flight in the conditions defined above" (Compliance item 2).

• Respond to inspection results. If the inflation check shows a pressure of 3 bars or more on both RH and LH sides, "the pipes meet the requirements and no action is necessary before resuming flights" (Requirement 4). If the pressure is less than 3 bars on either side, replace the non-compliant pipe(s) "as per instructions of the Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" before further flight (Requirement 5; Compliance: "Before further flight").

• Observe compliance windows. The AD ties certain inspections to the next engine removal after the effective date, but not later than 550 flight hours or 24 months after the effective date, whichever comes first (Compliance items 1 and 3). Operators must therefore schedule inspections and any consequent replacement work within those maximum windows.

Rights or procedural items not set out in the AD

• The AD text does not set out an appeal, exemption or alternative compliance mechanism. It also does not specify compensation or cost recovery if parts are replaced. It does, however, refer to DGAC and EASA-approved revisions of the Alert SB as acceptable sources for the inspection and replacement instructions, which implicitly recognises the role of those authorities' approvals in determining acceptable methods (Requirement references).

• The AD does not specify post-work airworthiness release wording, logbook entries, or the particular documentation mechanics to be used to record compliance. It simply requires that the actions be carried out per the cited Alert SB and within the stipulated timeframes.

Decision-makers

• Operators and their accountable managers must decide whether a given helicopter meets the applicability criteria, whether blanking covers are present, and whether to incorporate the specified temporary prohibitions where required. Maintenance organisations and certifying staff must decide on the technical acceptability of the pipe installation by carrying out the inflation check per Alert SB instructions and by replacing parts that fail the 3 bar threshold. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority delegate issued the AD and set the effective date; the AD thus establishes regulator-led mandatory duties but leaves technical execution to licensed maintenance personnel following the manufacturer/DGAC/EASA-approved procedures.

In summary, the AD binds operators and maintenance organisations to perform configuration checks, carry out a defined inspection at specified maintenance events or within fixed time limits, apply temporary operational prohibitions where required, and replace any pipe failing the inflation threshold before further flight; the AD itself does not set out appeals or alternative compliance procedures.

The AD text supplied does not include explicit penalty clauses, fines, or criminal sanctions. It identifies itself as an Airworthiness Directive made effective on 7 July 2005 and signed by a CASA delegate, but it does not reproduce the specific enforcement mechanism or sanctions for non-compliance within the document text provided.

What the AD does state

• Effective date and issuer. The AD becomes effective on 7 July 2005 and the text bears the name James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, dated 26 May 2005 (effective date; signature).

• Mandatory prescriptive requirements. The AD sets mandatory actions , inspection, replacement, and operational prohibitions , and gives precise compliance windows. Those actions are expressed as requirements, with timing obligations such as "within 10 days after the effective date" or "on the next engine removal but not later than 550 flight hours or 24 months", and with "before further flight" triggers for corrective action (Compliance; Requirements).

What the AD does not state

• No penalty language. The text does not specify penalties, enforcement procedures, or administrative processes for dealing with non-compliance in the supplied extract. It does not include references to enforcement sections of other statutes, nor does it provide a process for notification, rectification periods beyond those stated, or civil/criminal sanction amounts. The document does not set out a compliance certification format required to demonstrate completion.

Implications for operators and maintainers

• Although the AD itself does not spell out sanctions, the document establishes time-critical, prescriptive actions. In regulatory practice, such directives are typically binding on the regulated party. The absence of explicit sanction text in this extract means readers should not assume particular penalty amounts or procedures are described here; they must consult the regulator’s wider enforcement framework or the facility that issued the AD for details on enforcement or consequences, if required. The AD does, however, place clear obligations on operators to perform checks and to apply or lift operational prohibitions in accordance with the stated criteria.

• Because the AD requires replacement "as per instructions of the Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" before further flight, an operator who does not take those actions would be operating outside the prescriptive requirements set in this AD text.

In short, the AD supplies mandatory actions and deadlines, but does not, within the provided text, state the penalties or the enforcement process that will be applied for non-compliance. The issuing authority and dates are given; enforcement specifics must be sought from the regulator's broader enforcement and compliance materials beyond this AD text.

The AD incorporates and cross-references foreign airworthiness authority material and manufacturer service instructions, thereby creating an interactional net of regulatory and technical sources. Within the supplied text, these interactions are explicit and are the principal method by which technical compliance is to be judged.

References incorporated by the AD

• Eurocopter Service Bulletins. The AD relies on several Eurocopter documents as the technical standard for inspection and configuration. It references Eurocopter AS332 Service Bulletin No. 30.00.46 as an alternative path for the MPAI modification (Applicability). It also references Eurocopter AS332 Service Bulletin No. 30.00.44 in defining the configuration that equates to having MPAI blanking covers (Requirement A and B). The Alert Service Bulletin 30.00.52 is the operative technical procedure for the bullet seal inflation check and for replacement instructions (Requirement A.1; Requirement 3; Requirement 5).

• French DGAC and EASA material. The AD expressly notes that the French DGAC Airworthiness Directive F-2002-257-080 R1, approved under EASA reference number 2005-1916 dated 22 February 2005, is relevant to the issue (Requirement 5 Note). The AD also accepts "later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" of Alert SB 30.00.52 as acceptable sources for the required procedures, showing that the AD ties Australian compliance to the revision status authorised by those European authorities.

Practical interactions

• Adoption of manufacturer and foreign authority approvals. By directing operators to follow Alert SB 30.00.52 "original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions", the AD makes the authorised versions of those documents determinative of acceptable methods. That means a revision approved by DGAC/EASA changes the acceptable technique for inspection or replacement. Operators must therefore track revisions approved by those authorities to ensure the procedure used is current with what the AD accepts (Requirement references).

• Interface with maintenance scheduling obligations. The AD’s compliance timing refers to the "next engine removal" and sets hard maximum windows (550 flight hours or 24 months). Those timings create a cross-policy interaction with maintenance planning rules and with any other regulatory obligations that govern scheduled maintenance intervals or engine removal events. Operators will need to coordinate the AD-mandated inspections with existing maintenance cycles to meet the AD deadlines (Compliance).

• Flight manual and operational requirements. For helicopters without blanking covers, the AD requires adding temporary prohibitions in Basic Flight Manual Section 2. This creates an interaction with any regulatory requirements about keeping operator flight manuals current, and with any regulatory rules about manual amendments. While the AD does not state the mechanics for how the manual must be updated, it expects operators to change their Basic Flight Manual to reflect the prohibitions (Requirement B.2).

• Cross-jurisdictional conformity. Because the AD references DGAC and EASA approvals, operators who operate internationally or maintain aircraft under multiple jurisdictions need to reconcile the Australian AD requirements with any overlapping foreign ADs or service instructions. The AD’s note to the DGAC AD indicates that the international AD landscape for the safety issue has precedent, and the Australian AD aligns with that material.

What is not stated

• The AD does not explicitly state how conflicts between the AD and other domestic regulatory instruments should be resolved; it simply imposes the requirements and refers to manufacturer and foreign authority materials for technical detail. For specific legal questions about which instrument prevails, or about administrative processes, the AD text itself does not provide that resolution.

In sum, the AD interacts with manufacturer service bulletins and foreign airworthiness authority directives by incorporating them as the technical norms to be followed, and it creates operational interactions with maintenance scheduling and flight manual amendment practices. The AD accepts DGAC/EASA-approved revisions as the relevant versions of the Alert SB, making those foreign approvals practically binding for compliance.

The supplied AD text contains limited historical and amendment information. What the document records is the lineage relevant to this specific airworthiness action and its issuance timeline; it does not provide a catalogue of subsequent amendments or revocations.

Recorded items in the AD

• Origin and issue dates. The AD is signed by James Coyne, Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and carries the date 26 May 2005 (signature block). The AD states that it "becomes effective on 7 July 2005" (Compliance; effective date).

• Referenced foreign AD. The AD notes French DGAC Airworthiness Directive F-2002-257-080 R1 and states that this foreign AD was approved under EASA reference number 2005-1916 dated 22 February 2005 (Requirement 5 Note). That establishes an antecedent regulatory action by the French airworthiness authority and an EASA reference for the same safety concern.

• Eurocopter Service Bulletins and Modifications. The AD identifies specific modification numbers and service bulletins relevant to the aircraft configuration. It names Modifications 0725974 and 0725998 and Eurocopter SB No. 30.00.46 as the modifications that, combined with the specified pipe part numbers, define the AD applicability. It also identifies Mod 332A0725885 or SB No. 30.00.44 as corresponding to the installation of blanking covers, which produces a different compliance path (Applicability; Requirements).

What is not recorded in the AD text

• No later amendments or superseding notices are reproduced in the supplied text. The document does not show any later Australian amendments, revisions, supersessions, or revocations. If operators need the current status of the AD, including whether it has been amended or superseded, that information is not contained in the supplied extract and must be obtained from the issuing authority’s records or consolidated AD lists.

• No version history of the Alert SB is included. While the AD accepts "later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" of Alert SB 30.00.52, the AD text does not enumerate which revisions, if any, had been approved after the original issue.

Practical reading

• Use the dates and cross-references. The practical effect of the recorded amendment history is that the AD was issued in late May 2005 and set to take legal effect on 7 July 2005, and that it was connected to earlier DGAC action of February 2005 relating to the same issue. Beyond that, the AD does not document a chain of Australian amendments in this extract.

Operators and maintainers should therefore treat the AD as having a clear origin and effective date, and should consult the Civil Aviation Safety Authority’s AD database or official consolidated notices to determine whether any later amendment or superseding AD affects this requirement.

The AD text supplied contains no litigation history. It does not record any judicial or administrative proceedings challenging the AD, nor does it reference any court decisions or determinations arising from the directive. The document is a regulatory directive and, in this extract, functions as a technical-mandatory instrument without attached case law.

What the AD does show

• The AD records the issuing authority, date of signature (26 May 2005), and effective date (7 July 2005), but it contains no references to legal disputes, appeals, or adjudications concerning its validity, interpretation or enforcement.

What is not present and what that implies

• No precedential litigation. Because there is no litigation record inside the AD itself, readers should not assume any judicial interpretation is available in this source. If legal disputes arose after the issue of this AD, they are not recorded here; any subsequent litigation would need to be located externally, for example in administrative appeals records or court databases, which are not part of the supplied text.

• No administrative appeal pathway specified. The AD does not set out an appeal mechanism or recitation of judicial review rights within its text. The absence of such material in the AD means any challenges would proceed under the general administrative law processes available in the applicable jurisdiction, but those processes are not described in this document.

Practical consequence

• For legal research or compliance risk assessment, the absence of litigation history in the AD requires operators, maintainers or counsel to search external sources if they want to know whether the AD’s requirements have been contested, interpreted, or judicially clarified since its issue. The AD itself provides no litigation guidance within the supplied text.

The AD contains a number of specific drafting and practical details that could lead to compliance slips or misinterpretation if not read closely. The following points are concrete traps to watch for, grounded in the exact language and structure of the AD.

Applicability precision

• Multiple gating conditions. The AD applies only where several conditions are satisfied simultaneously: model (AS 332 C, C1, L, L1), presence of electrical MPAIs modified per specific Mod numbers or compliance with Eurocopter SB No. 30.00.46, and installation of the exact pipe part numbers 332A72-1893-00 (LH) and 332A72-1893-01 (RH) (Applicability). Failing to check any one of these factors could incorrectly place an aircraft in or out of scope. Operators must verify both modification status and exact P/Ns.

Blanking cover identification

• Equivalent references. The AD treats Mod 332A0725885 and compliance with SB No. 30.00.44 as the equivalent condition for having blanking covers. Care is required in maintenance records because a blanking-cover configuration could be documented under either a Mod number or SB compliance. Do not assume the presence or absence of blanking covers from unrelated maintenance entries.

Two separate compliance tracks

• Different immediate obligations. Helicopters with blanking covers have a narrower immediate duty , perform the bullet seal inflation check per Alert SB 30.00.52 (Requirement A.1). Helicopters without blanking covers must both add temporary flight prohibitions and perform the inflation check (Requirement B.2 and Requirement 3). Confusing the two tracks could lead to failure to implement an operational prohibition required "within 10 days after the effective date" if blanking covers are absent (Compliance item 2).

Timing windows and maintenance triggers

• "Next engine removal" linkage. Several inspection obligations are tied to the "next engine removal after the effective date" but capped by a maximum delay of 550 flight hours or 24 months, whichever comes first (Compliance items 1 and 3). If an operator does not have an engine removal scheduled within that window, the operator still must comply before the outer maxima are reached. In planning, do not assume long maintenance intervals automatically satisfy the AD; the 550 fh/24 month cap may require an earlier unscheduled removal or inspection.

Operational prohibitions wording

• Inclusive temperature boundaries. The prohibitions’ temperature boundaries are written with inclusive language: for example, "equal to or lower than plus 3° Celsius" for clouds/fog, and "equal to or above minus 3° Celsius" for falling or recirculating snow. For rain the AD forbids flight when OAT is "equal to or above minus 3° Celsius" and "equal to or lower than plus 3° Celsius", forming an inclusive band -3°C to +3°C. Operators must apply those inclusive thresholds exactly, not as open intervals.

Pressure gauge threshold interpretation

• Both sides required. Requirement 4 states that a pressure gauge reading of equal to or more than 3 bars on RH and LH sides means the pipes meet the requirements. If only one side reaches 3 bars and the other does not, Requirement 5 applies: replace the pipe(s) that do not meet the requirements. Do not interpret a single compliant side as sufficient.

Reference document currency

• "Original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions". The AD accepts Alert SB 30.00.52 "original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" as the technical reference. Operators must ensure the specific revision used for the inspection or replacement is DGAC/EASA-approved if it is a later revision. Using a revision that lacks such approval could fail to meet the AD's referenced standard.

Ambiguous phrasing and gaps

• Requirement 4 and 5 numbering. The AD’s table structure places Requirement 4 as a "no action required" outcome, and Requirement 5 as the replacement obligation. Operators should map those outcomes carefully to the preceding inspection step (Requirement 3), or they may misapply the required corrective action.

• No enforcement text included. The supplied AD does not include explicit penalties, enforcement or certification mechanics. Do not assume that the AD does not carry regulatory consequence; the AD sets mandatory actions, but the specific enforcement steps and administrative channels are not stated in the document provided.

Documentation and proof of compliance

• No logbook mechanics specified. The AD requires actions "as per instructions of the Alert SB" and gives "before further flight" triggers, but it does not specify the documentation mechanics required to demonstrate compliance. Operators should therefore adopt robust internal records documenting the date, personnel, Alert SB revision used, measurement readings, and parts replaced, because the AD itself supplies no template for evidence of compliance.

Cross-jurisdictional versions

• DGAC/EASA cross-references. The AD incorporates language from French DGAC and EASA approvals and Eurocopter SBs. If an operator’s aircraft is subject to multiple national ADs, care must be taken to ensure compliance meets each jurisdiction’s specific procedural and documentation requirements; the Australian AD’s reliance on foreign-authority-approved revisions creates a potential administrative gotcha.

In short, the principal practical traps are misreading the applicability filters, failing to distinguish the two compliance tracks, mis-scheduling the inspection relative to engine removal or the 550 fh/24 month cap, mishandling the inclusive temperature thresholds in the operational prohibitions, and failing to use a DGAC/EASA-approved Alert SB revision when required. Close attention to exact part numbers, modification references and Alert SB revision approvals is necessary.

The AD’s compliance pathway is prescriptive and can be followed as a sequence of identification, interim operational controls (if needed), inspection, and corrective action. The following steps translate the AD’s text into a practical compliance checklist. All procedural details must be executed "per instructions described in Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" where the AD references that bulletin.

1. Confirm applicability

• Check the helicopter model: verify that the airframe is an AS 332 version C, C1, L or L1.
• Verify the electrical MPAI modification status: confirm the MPAIs have been modified per Modifications 0725974 and 0725998, or that the aircraft has been returned to compliance with Eurocopter SB No. 30.00.46.
• Verify pipe part numbers: confirm the aircraft is fitted with P/N 332A72-1893-00 (Left Hand) and P/N 332A72-1893-01 (Right Hand). Only if all the above are satisfied is the AD applicable (Applicability).

2. Determine presence of blanking covers

• Check whether the helicopter is fitted with MPAI blanking covers corresponding to Mod 332A0725885 or in compliance with Eurocopter AS332 SB No. 30.00.44. This determines which set of immediate actions apply (Requirement: A versus B).

3. If blanking covers are fitted

• Carry out the bullet seal inflation check "per instructions described in Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions" (Requirement A.1; Requirement 3).
• Scheduling: perform this check on the next engine removal after the AD effective date, but not later than 550 flight hours or 24 months after the effective date, whichever comes first (Compliance item 1).

4. If blanking covers are not fitted

• Immediately add the temporary prohibitions to Basic Flight Manual Section 2 within 10 days of the effective date and before any flight in the affected conditions. The prohibitions are: a) forbid flying into clouds or in fog at an observed OAT equal to or lower than +3°C; b) forbid flying in rain at observed OAT equal to or above -3°C and equal to or lower than +3°C; c) forbid flying in falling or recirculating snow at observed OAT equal to or above -3°C; d) forbid taking off after standing-by on ground or taxiing in falling snow at observed OAT equal to or above -3°C (Requirement B.2; Compliance item 2).
• Carry out the bullet seal inflation check per Alert SB instructions at the next engine removal but not later than 550 flight hours or 24 months after the effective date, or before performing any flight in the conditions defined above, whichever comes first (Requirement 3; Compliance item 3).

5. Perform the bullet seal inflation check

• Use Alert SB 30.00.52 original issue, or a later revision approved by DGAC/EASA. The AD defers to that document for the inspection procedures (Requirement A.1; Requirement 3).
• Measure pressure on both the right-hand and left-hand bullet seal inflation circuits with the pressure gauge as specified by the Alert SB.

6. Interpret results and act

• If the pressure gauge reads equal to or more than 3 bars on both RH and LH sides, the pipes "meet the requirements and no action is necessary before resuming flights" (Requirement 4).
• If the pressure gauge reads less than 3 bars on one or both sides, replace the pipe(s) that do not meet the requirement, following the Alert SB 30.00.52 instructions or DGAC/EASA-approved revisions, and do so before any further flight (Requirement 5; Compliance: "Before further flight").

7. Documentation and records

• Although the AD does not prescribe a particular record format, maintain clear documentation of: a) the aircraft identification and configuration checks that established applicability; b) the presence or absence of blanking covers and the consequent manual amendment or operational bulletin for the prohibitions, where applicable; c) the Alert SB revision used for inspection and replacement instructions; d) the measured pressure readings for RH and LH sides, with date, time, and performing personnel signature or authorising stamp; and e) details of any pipe replacements, including new P/Ns, batch or serial numbers where relevant, and replacement date. Retain records in company maintenance files in case regulatory verification is required. The AD itself does not set a mandatory template for evidence.

8. Planning and parts supply

• Anticipate the potential need to replace one or both pipes. Ensure that parts conform to the Alert SB's replacement instructions. Coordinate with suppliers for availability of replacement pipes or approved replacement components.

9. Coordination with flight operations

• For helicopters without blanking covers, implement the temporary prohibitions in operational documentation within the 10-day window, communicate the prohibitions to flight crew, and update dispatch/go-no-go decision trees to reflect the OAT thresholds and weather conditions described by the AD.

10. Follow approved revisions

• If the Alert SB 30.00.52 is revised and the revision receives DGAC or EASA approval, that revision is acceptable per the AD ("original issue or later DGAC / EASA approved revisions"). Make sure the version used for the inspection or replacement is an approved revision, and document which revision was used.

11. Post-action considerations

• If pipes were replaced, follow any post-replacement checks or system functional tests specified in the Alert SB before returning the helicopter to unrestricted operations.
• Once the inflation check yields ≥3 bars on both sides and any required replacements are complete, update operational documentation to reflect that the restrictions (if any) have been lifted, and record the lifting of prohibitions in company records. The AD itself signals "no action required" only after satisfying the 3 bar condition on both sides (Requirement 4).

Timelines summary

• Compliance items in the AD set the timing: inspection at the next engine removal after the effective date but not later than 550 fh or 24 months; immediate temporary prohibitions within 10 days for aircraft without blanking covers; replacement before further flight where gauges read under 3 bars (Compliance).

By following these steps and strictly using Alert SB 30.00.52 and any DGAC/EASA-approved revisions as the technical authority for the inspection and replacement procedures, operators should meet the AD’s prescriptive obligations. The AD’s effective date is 7 July 2005 and it is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority delegate James Coyne (effective date; signature).