EASA AD 2020-0069
Doors — Sliding Door Opening Mechanism — Inspection / Modification
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2020-0069 is an airworthiness directive addressing the sliding door opening mechanism on Airbus Helicopters EC 130 B4 models. It mandates inspections and modifications to the left-hand side cabin sliding door latch to prevent in-flight detachment and potential damage or injury. The directive applies to all serial numbers of the EC 130 B4 helicopter and includes specific inspection and modification instructions.
What Changed
This directive supersedes EASA AD 2019-0001 and retains its inspection requirements while introducing a new mandatory modification (MOD 075105) to improve the sliding door latch tightening. The modification provides a terminating action for some repetitive inspections and addresses a design deficiency identified as a contributing factor to door detachment events.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals because it addresses a safety risk involving in-flight detachment of cabin sliding doors, which can cause damage to the helicopter and pose hazards to people on the ground. Operators and maintenance organizations must comply to ensure continued airworthiness and prevent potential accidents related to door locking mechanism degradation.
What To Do
Operators must perform load checks on the sliding door opening mechanism within 165 flight hours after 24 January 2019 and at intervals not exceeding 660 flight hours. For helicopters with affected parts, additional inspections and corrective actions are required at specified intervals. The modification must be completed within 165 flight hours or 6 months after 7 April 2020, whichever occurs first, to terminate some inspection requirements.
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