SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

SW-08-42

August 27, 2008

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) owners and operators equipped with the following Apical Industries, Inc. Emergency Float with Liferaft Kits (kits):

Emergency Float with Liferaft Kit Part Number (P/N)	Serial Number (S/N )	Affected Helicopter Model	STC
614.3001	080 and below	Bell 407	SR01535LA
614.3003	133 and below	Bell 206L, L-1, L-3, L-4	SR01535LA
614.3007	014 and below	Bell 206A, B	SR01535LA
614.7601	045 and below	Bell 210, 212, 412, 412EP, 412CF, B412, AB412EP	SR01779LA
634.2901	012 and below	Bell 427	SR01813LA
644.1801	031 and below	Eurocopter EC135	SR01855LA
20430-300	009 and below	Eurocopter BO-105A, C, S, LS, A-3	SR00856LA

Background

An aircraft equipped with a kit listed above was involved in an accident in which the pilot failed to deploy the liferafts using the primary internal inflation handle. Two external T-Handles were available for deployment of the liferafts, but were not used because the passengers were unaware of their location. Therefore, adding an external Liferaft Handle Inflation Placard as standard equipment to all of the kits shown above is recommended. The purpose of this placard is to clearly denote the location of the external liferaft inflation T-handles as well as their function.

Recommendations

We recommend that owners/operators equipped with an affected kit, as listed in the Introduction section of this SAIB, comply with Apical Industries Inc. Alert Service Bulletin Document Number SB2008-01, dated July 28, 2008, Revision N/C, which specifies the installation of an external Liferaft Handle Inflation Placard.

For Further Information Contact

Ms. Venessa Stiger, Aerospace Engineer; Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, ANM-150L, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, California 90712, phone: (562) 627-5337; fax: (562) 627-5210 email: venessa.stiger@faa.gov.

For Related Service Information Contact

Apical Industries, Inc., 2608 Temple Heights Drive, Oceanside, California 92056-3512, phone: (760) 724-5300; fax: (760) 758-9612.