Safety Recommendation A-08-083

The NTSB notes that, on December 13, 2011, the FAA issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring that placards be installed on all helicopters carrying Apical supplemental type certificate (STC) externally mounted liferafts. We note that, although the FAA has not proposed a similar requirement for other manufacturers of externally mounted liferafts, the agency confirmed that the four other manufacturers already include a placard, giving instructions for deploying the external liferaft for installation at each external T-handle.

We believe that the issuance of the AD, in combination with this verification that all other manufacturers of externally mounted liferafts have placards installed as recommended, constitutes an acceptable alternate solution to the problem. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation A-08-83 is classified CLOSED—ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATE ACTION.

-From Michael P. Huerta, Acting Administrator: As we reported in our January 15 , 2009, letter, Apical Industries, Inc. (Apical) issued a Service Bulletin to specify the installation of an external Liferaft Handle Inflation Placard.

Accordingly, on December 13, 2011 , we issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring that placards be installed on all helicopters with Apical supplemental type certificate (STC) externally mounted liferafts. A placard is to be installed for each external deployment handle, and it will clearly identify the location of, and provide activation instructions for, the handle. A copy of this AD is enclosed.

In addition to Apical, there are four other manufacturers of external liferaft systems for helicopters. We have determined that there are approximately 700 rotorcraft equipped with external liferafts from the other manufacturers. We completed a review of these four designs and confirmed that all have external placards with instructions for deploying the external liferaft.

Guidance is in place to address placards for release devices, such as for liferafts, and method of operation for these release devices. The guidance applies to all part 27 and part 29 helicopters, regardless of operating under part 135 or part 91 operational requirements. Specifically, Advisory Circulars (ACs) 27-1B (normal category rotorcraft) and 29-2C (transport category rotorcraft) state that "Release devices such as levers or latch handles for liferafts and other safety equipment should be plainly marked. The method of operation [for the devices] should be marked also." Both ACs clearly indicate that placards are one method of marking the devices and method of operation.

Notation 8280: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reviewed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) notice of proposed rulemaking, titled “Airworthiness Directives; Apical Industries Inc. (Apical) Emergency Float Kits,” which was published at 75 Federal Register 75934 (December 7, 2010). The notice proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Bell and Eurocopter helicopters with Apical Industries, Inc., emergency float kits installed by supplemental type certificate.

This AD would require the installation of placards on each side of the helicopter’s fuselage to identify the location and operation of the liferaft external inflation T-handle, as instructed in Apical Alert Service Bulletin SB2008 01, Revision A, dated March 3, 2010. The proposed AD would also require the replacement of liferaft operation placards on some helicopters to indicate that external liferafts have been installed. The NTSB has recognized the need for placards to identify the location and operation of the external inflation T-handle for external liferafts.

In 2008, the NTSB issued Safety Recommendation A-08-83 to the FAA regarding the installation of placards on turbine-powered helicopters with externally mounted liferafts. The NTSB fully supports the proposed AD and believes that liferaft external inflation T-handle placards would assist passengers in finding and activating the external T-handle, especially if the pilot were incapacitated following the helicopter’s impact in water. This AD, if adopted, would be responsive to Safety Recommendation A-08-83. The NTSB appreciates the opportunity to comment on this proposed rule.

The NTSB remains concerned that, while 61 Apical-equipped helicopters have been retrofitted with external liferaft handle placards, the FAA’s efforts still do not address all Part 135 helicopters and therefore are not responsive to Safety Recommendation A-08-83. The NTSB continues to believe that external placards for the two external liferaft T-handles, similar to the placard for the T-handle in the cockpit, would assist passengers in finding and activating the external T-handles, especially if the pilot were unable to do so.

Accordingly, pending the FAA’s adoption of a requirement that equips all Part 135 helicopters with external liferafts, Safety Recommendation A-08-83 is classified OPEN -- UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

Letter Mail Controlled 2/20/2009 1:36:31 PM MC# 2090095: - From Robert A. Sturgell, Acting Administrator: FAA Comment. On July 28,2008, Apical Industries, Inc. (Apical) issued Alert Service Bulletin (ASB), document No. SB2008-01, which specifies the installation of an external Liferaft Handle Inflation Placard. All Apical supplemental type certificates (STC) that approved the installation of their Emergency Floats with Liferaft Kits have been revised so that the installation of the placard is now a requirement of the Apical STCs.

In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, S W-08-42, on August 27,2008, to alert owners/operators of the Apical ASB. Apical has reported that nine helicopters have been retrofitted with the external liferaft handle placards. I will keep the Board informed of the FAA's progress on this safety recommendation and will provide an update by May 3 1,2009.