Airworthiness DirectiveEASA AD 2020-0064

Equipment / Furnishings — Emergency Flotation System / Inflation Hoses — Inspection

Published: Mar 19, 2020
Effective: Apr 2, 2020
Deadline: Apr 2, 2020

AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.

What to do

Operators must inspect each affected emergency flotation system within the compliance time specified in the applicable Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletins. If any hose fails inspection, it must be replaced before the next flight with a serviceable hose or part. From the effective date of April 2, 2020, installation of affected parts is prohibited unless they have been inspected and identified as serviceable according to the Safran Aerosystems Service Bulletin instructions.

Summary

EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0064 is an airworthiness directive addressing the inspection of emergency flotation systems and inflation hoses installed on various Airbus Helicopters models including MBB-BK117, EC 135, EC 120 B, EC 175, AS 332, AS 350, EC 130, AS 355, SA 365, AS 365, and EC 155 helicopters. The directive mandates inspection and possible replacement of affected float supply hoses to ensure proper inflation of emergency flotation devices. It applies to specific part numbers and serial numbers as detailed in the associated service bulletins.

What changed

This new airworthiness directive introduces a one-time inspection requirement for emergency flotation system inflation hoses due to a manufacturing defect causing blockage and partial inflation failure. It requires operators to inspect affected parts within specified compliance times and replace any defective hoses or systems before further flight. The directive also prohibits installation of affected parts from the effective date unless they have passed inspection or are serviceable.

Why it matters

This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it addresses a safety risk where blocked inflation hoses could prevent full flotation bag inflation during ditching, potentially endangering occupants. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft airworthiness and passenger safety. Compliance teams need to track affected helicopters and parts to avoid regulatory violations and ensure timely corrective actions.

More for Airbus Helicopters AS 350

All 99

Get the next one by email

New ADs and bulletins for these 18 aircraft types, summarized like this page, every Monday.