Overhauling Eurocopter Seatbelts?

[irish seaplane]

Hi,
My biz partner just had a quote for £13000 plus vat for fitted new Seatbelts to an EC120 as they are a time life item (it seems). Is there a way of having them tested/re webbed/fireproofed and saving some of that incredible cost that's been quoted?

I see some firms in Oz and NZ offering the service, but just wondered is there anyone closer to home.....

:)

[victor papa]

Double chk the part nr because the crashworthiness seat harnesses in the MSM are OC subject to the scheduled chks being done ie 500hr.

[Efirmovich]

I should check again, I had mine replaced and a few months later was told Eurocopter changed the life to "on inspection " B,stards ! :uhoh:

E.

[John R81]

As he says; unfortunately came to late for me so I have a full spare set of 2+3 belts, absolutely nothing wrong with them.

[irish seaplane]

Interesting. It would seem from looking at this 120 which has an expertly prepared brochure/maintenance statement:

http://www.avbuyer.com/pdfs/EC120B%20I-HBDC%20Tech%20Spec.pdf

That the Seatbelts are a six month inspection item, rather that a hard life replacement item.

Does that tally with a MM revision, or a SB re affirming the life of them I wonder?

[helihub]

Hmm, one UK EC120 owner who I spoke with was understandably bothered by the price managed to work out who the manufacturer was and approached them direct and paid about £25 per belt. I think they are near Heathrow if memory serves? This was a couple of years ago.

So, let's get this right...............
Cost from manufacturer = 5x£25 = £125
Re-Sell to gullible customer = £13,000

[helicopterray]

May not be overly convenient for you guys, but there is a company called GJ's Aircraft Products out of Winnipeg, Manitoba that I've used for years with very quick turn around times for seat belts.

[as350nut]

I had ones from as350BA done local in Australia for about $500.00 no problems. All paperwork and Form 1 supplied 1 week turnover ; they advertise in Aviation Trader

[victor papa]

Just received IN 2530-I-25 reaffirming OC and subject to 100hr/12mth inspection described in the IN.

[HCGB]

I had to renew mine a couple of years ago. I was quoted a silly price by EC.
The cheapest way to do this is:
Rear Belts: contact the manufacturer Amsafe at their Heathrow office. They can reweb the belts for about £25 per belt (so a rear belt is 3 x £25 + the retraction overhaul) This take a few weeks, so if you are in a rush pay the AOG fee as well.
Front Belts: these are made by Pacific Scientific. Their Heathrow office charges a silly price, so I sent mine to their Miami office - takes about a week. If you don't want to be grounded, send the front belts one set at a time.

[Heli-Jock]

I would speak to the engineer "H" at MW Helicopters, he recently sent the seat belts for a Gazelle to the states for a refurb,,,possibly cheaper?

H:ok:

[victor papa]

Again, just do the inspection and whilst serviceable no replacement required.

[mickjoebill]

I found the webbing on an old belt on a Bell 206 was fluffed up so much that it jammed in the adjustment mechanism and so was not possible to adjust it whilst it was across ones lap.

On speaking to the manufacturer of the belt they said it was many years beyond what they consider to be its useful life, but that it was not illegal to keep a belt beyond the manufacturers "use by" date as it was a "on inspection" item on Bells.

Not wishing to spend $125 on a replacement the company suggested that ironing the synthetic belt would compress the fluff!

To be legal a belt must be easily adjusted once it is clasped across ones lap, so in THAT respect it was not airworthy and replaced.

Are there other parts of a helicopter where "on inspection" can overide manufacturer's gaurantees or advice?

Mickjoebill

[unstable load]

There is a recent EASA AD regarding repairs to seat belts.
Read it first before sending belts off to possibly non acceptable
companies.

[irish seaplane]

Put it up to the maintenance company that they were asking us to approve spending £13K unnecessarily and trying to pull a fast one. Backed up our claim with the relevant inspection notice reference further upstream.

The conceded, and said that that document was only just published "last friday would you believe....." and hence we were both right but since it's now been published you are indeed correct the belts will be fine once inspected.

:D

Well done PPrune. Nice to get a little victory like that!

[victor papa]

The purpose of the IN was to draw attention to the MSM OC status and add the 100hr check from the manufacturer AMM.

[homonculus]

Irish Seaplane

Glad you saved yourself some dosh, but I am not sure we should be smiling

We pay maintenance organisations to 'manage' the maintenance including organising and overseeing any subcontractors. The maintenance organisation may be entitled to 'charge you hansomly' and charge handling fees and annual fees which are disproportionate to the cost. But I wonder if the lawyers share my concern that they can't simply get a subcontractor to do the work and put naughts on the bill.

I wonder where duty of care comes in. ie duty of care with your money. And if they don't tell you they are marking it up like this isn't there a question of clarity???

Don't suppose the CEO of any of these organisations would care to post a defence - anonymously of course!!!!