Commonwealth legislation

AD/SUPP/20 - Rope Down Device

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Commonwealth

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legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

3/10 complexity

This Airworthiness Directive bans use of certain rope‑down devices, grip frames and shear bolts fitted to Eurocopter EC135 police helicopters (specified by part numbers and drawing revisions) until the manufacturer modifies them. Operators must return affected parts to Bucher Leichtbau AG and discard listed spares, with compliance required by 6 July 2006.

It matters because an inspection found a shear bolt may be too short for positive retention of the device, creating a risk that the rope‑down equipment could disengage during use.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in AD/SUPP/20 - Rope Down Device.

Supplementary Equipment

AD/SUPP/20	Rope Down Device	7/2006

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.
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.
Compliance:	Before further use after 6 July 2006.
	This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 6 July 2006.

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.

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David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

23 May 2006

AD/SUPP/20

Rope Down Device

7/2006

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

Supplementary Equipment Supplementary Equipment

Supplementary Equipment

AD/SUPP/20	Rope Down Device	7/2006

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.
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.
Compliance:	Before further use after 6 July 2006.
	This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 6 July 2006.

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.

AD/SUPP/20 - Rope Down Device

Plain English Summary

Deep dive

Current sections

Supplementary Equipment

Supplementary Equipment

AD/SUPP/20

AD/SUPP/20

Rope Down Device

Rope Down Device

7/2006

7/2006

Source text

Supplementary Equipment Supplementary Equipment

Supplementary Equipment

AD/SUPP/20 AD/SUPP/20

AD/SUPP/20

Rope Down Device Rope Down Device

Rope Down Device

7/2006 7/2006

7/2006