# SAIB NE-03-30: 

- Type: Special airworthiness information bulletin (advisory, not mandatory)
- Status: Current
- Revision: 0
- Issued: March 13, 2003
- Products: Eurocopter France Alouette and Lama helicopters powered by Turbomeca Artouste II and Artouste III and Astazou XIV engines
- Product type: Aircraft, Rotorcraft
- PDF: https://openairdocs.org/files/sha256/4b/4d/4b4db204915482d0df5cf9a1d62daaa9f4508b916379202c97243bbb538dc529
- FAA DRS: https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/E99379D3635E77478625721F0052EBDB.0001
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/saib/NE-03-30

## Text

**SPECIAL**

**AIRWORTHINESS**

**INFORMATION**

BULLETIN Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. NE-03-30 March 13, 2003 We post SAIBs on the internet at www.airweb.faa.gov This is information only. Recommendations are not mandatory.

Introduction This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) provides safety information to you, owners and operators of Eurocopter France (Aerospatiale, Sud Aviation, S.N.I.A.S.) Alouette and Lama helicopters powered by Turbomeca Artouste II, Artouste III and Astazou XIV engines.

Background The French Military Services have sold surplus Eurocopter France (Aerospatiale, Sud Aviation, S.N.I.A.S.)

Alouette and Lama helicopters powered by Turbomeca manufactured Artouste II, Artouste III and Astazou XIV engines to the public in the past. These aircraft and engines have not been maintained within the framework of a civil regime and their configuration may not conform to the type definition approved by the Civil Aviation Authority. The French Airworthiness Authority, Direction Generale de l’Aviation Civile (DGAC), has issued various Airworthiness Directives (Consigne de Navigabilité) to mandate the proper actions to be taken, prior to next flight, for authorized use of these engines for civil operation. The FAA, however, does not recognize these surplus foreign military engines as eligible for installation on any civil aircraft having an Airworthiness Certificate other than "Experimental".

The FAA and other government agencies, through normal surveillance activities and investigations, discovered that some of these surplus aircraft and engines previously operated by foreign military services have been imported to United States and may be currently operating on aircraft having a Standard or Special Airworthiness Certificate.

Recommendations We will not issue an Airworthiness Certificate other than “Experimental” for aircraft and engines released as surplus by a foreign military service, even if these products have been subsequently resold by a manufacturer, owner/operator, repair facility, or part supplier, due to the lack of historical fleet records.

This data is essential to verify the modification standards, the applied repair solutions, the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance practices, and in particular, the life cycle remaining for the critical parts.

Without complete knowledge of the previous operational usage and all the aspects of its quality system for maintaining the engines, we cannot find the appropriate level of continued airworthiness for safe operation as required by § 21.29 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulation.

This SAIB informs you, that the referenced aircraft and engines cannot be used for civil operation in the US, other than as “ experimental” category aircraft. You cannot presume that their accessories, spare parts, whether new, used or parted out, are eligible for installation on FAA type certificated products used for civil operation.

For Further Information Contact FAA, Manager, Engine and Propeller Directorate, 12 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; or call Antonio Cancelliere, Aerospace Engineer, phone: (781) 238-7751; fax: (781) 238-7199;

email: antonio.cancelliere@faa.gov

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