SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

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

SW-10-42 R1

August 11, 2010

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Revised Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) corrects the Alert Service Bulletin referenced in SAIB No. SW-10-42, dated August 5, 2010.

This SAIB alerts owners and operators that an uneven deployment has occurred on aircraft equipped with the following Apical Industries, Inc. Emergency Float Kits:

Kit Part Number	Kit Serial Number Effectivity	Helicopter Model	Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
614.3001	093 and below	Bell 407	SR01535LA
614.3003	139 and below	Bell 206L, L-1, L-3, L-4	SR01535LA
614.3004	008 and below	Bell 407	SR01535LA
614.3006	006 and below	Bell 206L, L-1, L-3, L-4	SR01535LA
614.3007	015 and below	Bell 206A, B	SR01535LA
614.3008	004 and below	Bell 206A, B	SR01535LA

Background

During a recent incident involving a helicopter with the subject STC installed, the pilot attempted to deploy the floats as designed. Although the inflation valve released the pressurized gas normally, the floats did not deploy evenly and the right hand mid float was ruptured.

It was determined that the cause for the uneven deployment was due to the incorrect installation of the float inflation hoses at the port fitting located at the base of the forward crosstube saddles. The hose that inflates the mid floats, which has a restricted flow, was crossed with the hose that inflates the aft floats, which has unrestricted flow.

At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Recommendations

We recommend that owners/operators equipped with the Apical Industries, Inc. Emergency Float Kits as list above, comply with Apical Industries, Inc.’s Alert Service Bulletin, SB2010-03, dated July 13, 2010, revision N/C, which requires the inspection of the float hose port fitting connection and the application of clarifying markings.

For Further Information Contact

Venessa Stiger, Aerospace Engineer, 3960 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood, CA 90710; phone: (562) 627-5337; fax: (562) 627-5210; e-mail: 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.