SAIB SW-08-04

FAA Aircraft Certification Service SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Night Vision Imaging System installation on BK -117C-2 Helicopters SAIB: SW-08-04 Date: November 9, 2007 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) alerts owners and operators of Eurocopter BK117C-2 (EC145) rotorcraft equipped with a Eurocopter Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) lighting modification. Eurocopter flight manual supplement (FMS) 9.2-48, for Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS)/NVG, dated May 31, 2007 contains information that could be confusing to operators and principal operations inspectors (POIs).

Background

The Eurocopter FMS 9.2-48, Supplement for Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS)/NVG, dated May 31, 2007, page 4 of the supplement, section 2.4 Approved night vision goggle (NVG) contains the following statement:

“The NVGs ITT 4949 and NOGALIGHT NL-93 have demonstrated the compatibility with the aircraft lighting system.”

This statement is misleading because it can lead operators / POIs to incorrectly assume that the FAA has accepted the use of NOGALIGHT NL-93 NVGs.

Currently, the FAA only recognizes the ITT 4949 as approved for the Eurocopter-installed NVIS lighting modifications for the BK117-C2 since it is the only NVG type that the FAA has evaluated and accepted for the BK117-C2.

While the NOGALIGHT NL-93 has been accepted for use in Europe, it is not a Class B NVG and does not comply with TSO-C164. Therefore, the NOGALIGHT NL-93 NVGs have NOT been accepted by the FAA, to date.

Recommendations

1. Use only ITT 4949 NVGs with BK117C-2 with Eurocopter installed NVIS lighting modifications. NOGALIGHT NL-93s are not accepted for use with the lighting modification prescribed by FMS 9.2-48 in the United States.

2. For all other FAA-approved NVIS cockpit modifications, use only the NVG specified in the limitations of the RFM. To date, the ITT 4949 and the Northrop-Grumman / Litton M949 are the only two NVG models which the FAA has accepted for NVG operations.

For Further Information Contact

Clark Davenport, ASW-112, FAA Rotorcraft Standards Staff Flight Test, Human Factors, NVIS; phone 817-222-5151 or [email protected].