Airworthiness Directive 96-07-03
one-timeAirworthiness Directives; Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale and Eurocopter France Model AS 350B, BA, B1, B2, and D, and Model AS 355E, F, F1, F2, and N Helicopters
What this AD requires
This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale and Eurocopter France (Eurocopter France) Model AS 350B, BA, B1, B2, and D, and Model AS 355E, F, F1, F2, and N helicopters, without an autopilot installed, that requires a visual inspection to determine whether the cyclic pitch change control rod (rod) end fittings were safetied, and removal and replacement of the rod if the rod end fittings were not safetied. This amendment is prompted by a manufacturer's report that some of the rod end fittings had not been safetied at the factory. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent loss of tightening torque on the adjustment nuts of the rod, shifting of the neutral point of the cyclic stick, reduction in the amount of available movement of the cyclic stick in the roll axis, and subsequent reduction in the controllability of the helicopter.
Which aircraft AD 96-07-03 applies to
Within 100 hrs TIS, remove forward lower fairing and visually inspect cyclic pitch change control rod P/N 704A34-113-279 end fittings to verify safetying (bent tabs around adjustment nut); if not safetied, immobilize cyclic control and replace rod with an airworthy safetied rod. Per Eurocopter SB 01.38 (Model AS 355 series) and SB 01.42 (Model AS 350 series).
Whether AD 96-07-03 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.
How AD compliance is recorded
A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:
Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.
Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.