Fire Protection — Fire Detectors — Replacement
- Published
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AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Operators of affected helicopters must replace all affected fire detectors on one engine within 30 flight hours or 60 days from 22 December 2022, whichever occurs first. Maintenance teams must not install any affected fire detectors on engines after the effective date. Before installing any MAKILA 1 engine on a helicopter, verify that it contains no affected fire detectors.
Summary
EASA Airworthiness Directive 2022-0244 is an airworthiness directive addressing fire protection fire detectors on SAFRAN Helicopter Engines MAKILA 1A and 1A1 engines, commonly installed on Airbus Helicopters AS 332 C, C1, L, and L1 models. It mandates the replacement of specific affected fire detectors due to a manufacturing non-compliance that may cause spurious engine fire warnings. The directive aims to ensure continued safe operation by preventing false fire warnings that could lead to unintended engine shutdowns.
What changed
This new airworthiness directive introduces mandatory replacement of affected fire detectors identified by specific part and serial numbers on MAKILA 1 engines. It prohibits the installation of these affected parts on any engine from the effective date and requires verification that engines installed on helicopters do not contain affected parts. The directive is based on SAFRAN's mandatory service bulletin A298 26 0833 Version A.
Why it matters
This directive is critical for aviation professionals as it addresses a safety risk of false engine fire warnings that could cause in-flight engine shutdowns, potentially compromising helicopter control. Operators and maintenance organizations must ensure compliance to avoid operational disruptions and maintain airworthiness. Compliance with this directive helps prevent safety incidents related to fire detection system malfunctions.
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