Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
SW-10-15
February 5, 2010
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) advises you,
owners, operators, and modifiers of Bell Model 429 helicopters, that
some models may have clam shell doors installed as access to the
baggage area. These doors are approved for external baggage access ONLY
and are NOT approved for occupant egress or emergency exits.
Background
The Bell Model 429 helicopter was approved and type certificated by the
Transport Canada Civil Aviation Authority (TCCA) on June 20, 2009
followed by FAA type certificate issued on June 30, 2009. The type
design includes clam shell doors on the rear of the helicopter
fuselage. These clam shell doors provide access to the baggage area
from the outside only. These clam shell doors are not approved as
emergency exits nor are they approved for occupant egress. The baggage
area is approved as baggage area only and not as an occupied area.
Recommendations
We have received Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) applications for
modification of the Bell 429 passenger configuration to an Emergency
Medical Service (EMS) configuration that incorporates the baggage area
and usage of the clam shell doors for loading and unloading occupants.
In order to obtain approval for this modification, the STC applicant
will be responsible for providing the appropriate data addressing the
baggage area as an occupied area and appropriate data supporting usage
of the clam shell doors for occupant egress. We recommend that STC
applicants discuss this modification with their Aircraft Certification
Office representative prior to formal submittal of the STC application
in order to know the appropriate certification requirements and data
needed for substantiation of an area for it to be approved as an
occupied area, and the clam shell baggage door to be approved as an
occupant egress door.