Maintenance and Manufacturing Staff Instructions (MSI) No. 36

1. Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this instruction is to clarify the airworthiness status of Bell B204/205 series helicopters currently on the Canadian Register.

2. Background

2.1 In November 1993, the Airworthiness Branch conducted a review of all B204 helicopters on the Canadian Register, which included the physical inspection of all B204 helicopters involved in an accident or imported without a FAA Export Airworthiness Certificate. As a result of this review, all B204 helicopters registered at that date (imported with or without a valid FAA Export Airworthiness Certificate) with a Canadian Certificate of Airworthiness were accepted as conforming to Type Certificate (H1SW), and no further action was required. The rational for this decision was based on the principle that the Minister does not have ready access to the approved type design data for foreign certified aircraft and must rely on the certification issued by the foreign Aviation Authority to establish conformity. Normally, this certification is in the form of an Export Airworthiness Certificate. This review did not include the B205 helicopters.

2.2 In December 1998, Transport Canada (TC) sent representatives for training at Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas. The training focused on the differences between civil and military versions of the B204 and B205 helicopters, and provided TC representatives with sufficient knowledge to prevent entry into Canada of those helicopters that do not conform to the applicable type certificate.

2.3 In the fall of 1999, the Maintenance and Manufacturing Branch conducted a review of all B205 helicopters on the Canadian Register as of July 1999, which included the physical inspection of B205 helicopters involved in an accident and imported without a FAA Export Airworthiness Certificate. As a result of this review, all B205 helicopters registered at that date (imported with or without a valid FAA Export Airworthiness Certificate) with a Canadian Certificate of Airworthiness were accepted as conforming to Type Certificate (H1SW), and no further action was required.  The rational for this decision was based on the principles of the 1993 review of the B204 helicopters.

3. Policy

3.1 All B204 helicopters issued a Certificate of Airworthiness prior to the November 1993 review have been accepted as conforming to Type Certificate (H1SW) and no further action is required, provided the aircraft have been maintained in accordance with CAR 571. On export, these helicopters will be subject to the requirements of CAR 509.

3.2 All B205 helicopters issued a Certificate of Airworthiness prior to the July 1999 review have been accepted as conforming to Type Certificate (H1SW) and no further action is required, provided the aircraft  have been maintained in accordance with CAR 571. On export these helicopters will be subject to the requirements of CAR 509.

3.3 Pursuant to CAR 507.07, and more specifically, pursuant to Flight Authority Standard 507.07 (5) through (12) (importation without an Export Airworthiness Certificate), when an application for a flight authority is made in respect of a B204/B205 being imported, regional inspectors shall consult with a TC representative who attended the training mentioned in paragraph  2.2. If in consultation with the TC representative, the regional inspector determines that the aircraft does not conform to the type certificate, he shall immediately inform the HQ Contact identified below.

4. Effective Date

4.1 This instruction comes into effect immediately.

5. HQ Contact

5.1 The responsible officer indicated below may be contacted for information regarding this MSI:

Roger Ménard, AARPE
Aircraft Maintenance & Manufacturing Branch
E-mail: menarrj@tc.gc.ca
Phone: (613) 952-4377
Facsimile: (613) 952-3298

D.B. Sherritt
Director,
Maintenance and Manufacturing