Rotors Flight Control — Co-pilot Collective Lever Wire Harness — Inspection / Modification
- Published
- Effective
- Deadline
- Replaces
- 2018-0163
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators must inspect the co-pilot collective lever wire harness and its routing within specified compliance times depending on helicopter configuration, and perform corrective actions if discrepancies are found. Additionally, within 880 flight hours or 38 months after the effective date, the helicopter must be modified by replacing the wiring harness support as per the Airbus Helicopters Alert Service Bulletin. Post-installation inspections are required before each flight until the modification is completed.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0116 is an airworthiness directive affecting Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH MBB-BK117 D-2 helicopters, specifically those with serial numbers up to 20340 inclusive. The directive addresses inspection and modification requirements for the co-pilot collective lever wire harness to prevent potential electrical short circuits caused by incorrect wire routing. This AD mandates inspections, corrective actions, and a modification to improve the wire harness support.
What changed
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2021-0116 supersedes the previous AD 2018-0163, reducing the applicability by excluding helicopters with the improved harness support installed at the production line. It retains the inspection requirements and adds a mandatory modification to replace the co-pilot collective lever wiring harness support to prevent incorrect routing and potential electrical faults.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk involving possible short circuits that could lead to uncommanded activation of helicopter systems, such as the hoist cable cut. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to maintain aircraft airworthiness and prevent in-flight system malfunctions. The modification also reduces the need for repetitive inspections, improving operational reliability and safety.
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