Balloon Repair Station

Airworthiness Directives & Service Bulletins

Service Bulletins and Airworthiness Directives Master List

Updated 17/01/2024 – Correction to entryIssue of UK.AD G-2023-0005-E. Supercedes UKAD G-2022-0010-E permanent withdrawal of Alugas cylinders CB2990 issue A’.


EASA Airworthiness Directives

These are issued by EASA as bi-weeklies and affect all Annex 1 EASA aircraft and are Mandatory. Easier to access than the CAA!

http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ links to the EASA AD List. It has a simple search function on the left into which you need to type the manufacturer.

G-2004-0026 01/11/04 – Cameron Balloons – Cracking of weld on triple and quad burner mountings – Mandatory
CAA AD28 G-2004-0028 24/11/04 – Cameron Balloons – Solid Floor Baskets Support cables – Mandatory
EASA AD 2012-0142 03/08/12 Leak on Female Rego Fittings  ref. Lindstrand SB12 – Mandatory

EASA AD 2012-0142R1 – 14.09.12 This revises AD2012-0142 and permits the owner/operator to check for leaks and to make the declaration if the affected parts are not fitted.

EASA AD 2016-0151 – 27/07/16 Refers to Kubicek manufactured Egeflex liquid hose leaks but applies to all EASA type certified balloons as burners may have been fitted with the affected hose type if supplied by Kubicek.

EASA AD 2018-0107 – 22/05/2018 Withdrawal from service of listed LBL T30 (Flite) cylinders. See CBL SB25-3 (Mandatory) for details.

EASA AD 2018-0181 – 27/08/2018 Kubicek specific serial numbers to check loadtapes on Kubicek envelopes for damage. None listed currently on UK register. Kubicek SB BB/52 now mandatory

EASA AD 2019-0245 – 01/10/2019 Schroeder FB6 & FB7 burners. Residue in blast valves can cause reduction in burner performance.

EASA AD 2021-0042 – 30/01/2021 refers to Stratus burner suspension bracket failure. Refer to CBL SB 28.0


CAA Airworthiness Directives (AD)

These are issued by the CAA and classed as Mandatory. Only the CAA can use the term mandatory, so if ‘Mandatory’ appears on a manufacturers’ SB list it will have a corresponding AD. They are to found in CAP747 and CAP476

CAP 747 is the means by which airworthiness requirements made mandatory by the CAA are notified. It also provides an explanation of the applicability of the mandatory requirements for airworthiness that are issued by EASA and other organisations, and indicates where these requirements may be found. Generally CAP747 is updated monthly.

CAP 476 continues to provide the mandatory requirements, established prior to September 2004, that must be complied with by UK registered aircraft, howver CAP 476 is no longer amended. Later mandatory requirements and the cancellation of mandatory requirements recorded in CAP 476 are now notified through revisions to CAP 747.

http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=6515 will take you to the CAA page ‘CAP 747: Mandatory Requirements for Airworthiness’ and a link to CAP 747. This page also gives the Issue and Amendment Number. The CAA website is dreadful but open CAP 747 and type in the manufacturer’s name in the search box and with luck up will come the ADs. You have to scroll up and down to ensure you capture them all. It is also supposed to work if you type into ‘search’ (top right hand corner) of the first page the letters ‘AD’ and relevant manufacturer. To access CAP476 Type in ‘CAP476’.

CAP 747 number currently – Issue 4 2021/01   01/01/2021

Currently four ADs listed

CAA AD26 G-2004-0026 01/11/04 – Cameron Balloons – Cracking of weld on triple and quad burner mountings – Mandatory
CAA AD28 G-2004-0028 – 24/11/04 – Solid Floor Baskets Support cables – Mandatory
CAA G-2008-0001 09/01/08 – Lindstrand Balloons – ATA 28 Fuel hoses. Replacement of Defective Hoses – Mandatory
CAA AD No G-2008-0002 – Cameron fuel cylinders which have a CB-0824-0001 valve fitted (primarily hoppers) – Mandatory

The CAA now issue Airworthiness Directives in their own right. There is some confusion as to where they live but this is where we are going to put them for the moment.

CAA AD G-2021-0010E – Faulty fitting on Quick Shut of Valve cylinder adaptor plate.

CAA AD G-2021-0012 – Replaces EASA AD 2021-42 Stratus hanger bracket failure.

CAA AD 2021-0014E – Supercedes CAA AD 2021-0010E QSO valve adaptor plate.

CAA AD 2022-0010E – Temporary withdrawal of Cameron Alugas cylinders 12/05/2022 – now permanent

CAA AD 2023-0005E – Supercedes 2022-0010E Permanent withdrawal of Alugas cylinders CB2990 Issue A.31/07/23

Further Information from www.caa.co.uk Search Engine but don’t hold your breathe!

Fortunately the manufacturers are more on the ball and all the relevant information can be got from their websites.


Cameron Balloons

Information from Cameron Website
Go to http://www.cameronballoons.co.uk. The site has had a serious makeover and now works!!!
Click on ‘SUPPORT”

Click on the information area you want then select the desired information, its as easy as that. All the manuals are listed as well.

Currently there are 14 Service Bulletins active with two ADs active and one non-issue

SB 02-1C 02/07/96 – Thunder & Colt Envelope rotation vents – Mandatory (CAA AD issued)
SB 10-A 12/05/00 – Sky Mistral Burners replacement of valve stems – Mandatory (CAA AD issued)
SB 13-0 29/10/04 – Cracking of weld on triple and quad burner mountings – Mandatory (CAA AD G-2004-0026 issued)
SB 14-0 12/06/06 – Colt propane cylinders liquid take-off fitting inspection – Highly recommended
SB15-0 10/10/07 – Triple and quad burner frames , Weld Inspection – Highly Recommended
SB16-0 08/01/08 – Fuel system, liquid valve self-seal replacement of seal coupling – Highly recommended
SB17-0 08/01/08 – Cloudhopper Fuel System Liquid valve self seal – Mandatory (CAA AD G-2008-0002 issued)
SB18-0 not issued
SB19-0 08/11 Thunder & Colt adjustable height burner frames – Highly Recommended
SB20-1 16/01/2020 Brass backed Rego 7141F hose fittings – Required
SB22-0 02/05/14 – Pressure gauge fitting leak – Highly Recommended

SB23-0 28/01/2021 – Issue 3 Lindstrand Toggle Valve Inspection – Revised to include Lindstrand hoppers Recommended

SB24-0 30/03/16 – Sirocco burner frame bracket – Recommended

SB25-3 07/11/17 – Lindstrand T-30 cylinders withdraw from service – Mandatory (EASA AD 2018-0107 issued)

SB26  29/11/17 – Lindstrand T-30 cylinders X-ray – Highly Recommended

SB27  03/12/2018 – Replacement of hoses at 10 years – Highly Recommended

SB28  30/01/2021 – Failure of suspension bracket Stratus double burners part numbers CB8720 and CB8721. Burner s/n 320 or lower (TBC). – Mandatory (EASA AD 2021-0042 issued)

SB29  05/02/2020 – Consolidation of Legacy type certificates – Affects TCDS of Lindstrand (LBL) and Sky Balloons – Recommended

SB30 28/01/2021 – Special Shape Maintenance Manual Supplement (generic) grab testing internal fabric. Add to MM. – Advisory

SB31 Issue2  28/01/2021 (first issue) – Wear on exposed Kevlar chords T&C, Sky, Lindstrand.  Inspection within 30days or before next flight – Recommended

SB32 09/2021 QSO valve cylinder adaptor plate Duplex cylinders CB2902 & CB2903 – Mandatory CAA AD 2021-0010E issued.

SB33 Issue2 issued 02/06/2022 Withdrawal of Cameron Alugas cylinders – Mandatory – CAA AD G-2022-0010E issued 12/05/2022 – CB2990-A Now permanently withdrawn from service. See News 14.08.2023.

 SB34 21/07/2022 Flight Manual 10-18 issued – required under TCDS


Head Balloons

Website www.headballoons.com does not contain any technical support or information apart from sales stuff. However you can contact them through the Website or email info@headballoons.com They may take a while to reply.

No current Service Bulletins or Airworthiness Directives have been issued.


Kubicek Balloons

Information from Kubicek Website. Not bad but a bit jumbly. Everything is there somewhere.

Go to www.kubicekballoons.cz
Click on ‘Support’
Click on ‘Documents’Click on ‘Bulletins’

Manuals supplements and updates are available mixed in with SBs.

Currently

SB50-A Refers to leaks from Egeflex liquid hoses. EASA AD 2016-0151 issued.
SB51 – Ignis Double Burner bracket replacement – Mandatory as far as Kubicek is concerned but not until published by EASA so consider as Highly Recommended.

SB BB/52 – 27/08/2018 Now Manatory. Inspection for loadtape damage specific serial numbers

SB BB53 – 02/2020 Issue of Annual/100hr Inspection list.

SB BB54 – Cracks in Cameron Alugas cylinders. Mandatory AD applies 19/05/2022

SB BB55 – Incorrect reading of tempilabels (affected envelopes listed) 17/06/2022

SB BB56 – Sirius burner blast valves (specific numbers) 01/08/2022


Lindstrand Balloons

All the airworthiness stuff has now moved to the Cameron website and can be found in the general Support area there. http://www.cameronballoons.co.uk. Any problems contact Camerons Technical Department.

Currently there are 12 Service bulletins active (eleven listed-one not issued)

  1. 23/06/94 – Superchute deflation system – Recommended
  2. 14/03/96 – Cloudhopper Bearing replacement – Recommended
  3. 14/03/96 – Advanced Superchute Rigging – Optional
  4. 12/03/98 – Multi-burner gimbal block – Recommended
  5. Not issued
  6. 24/08/99 – Burner valve repair – Recommended
  7. 11/07/02 – Hose replacement – Mandatory (CAA AD G-2003-0010 issued)
  8. 05/09/03 – Hose replacement – Required (follow up to AD specifies batch numbers and serial numbers of affected hoses)
  9. 24/03/05 – O ring replacement (pressure gauges) – Recommended
  10. 09/08/06 – Stitch Failure in Q-Vent Internal Parachute Cross Tapes – Highly Recommended
  11. 24/09/07 – 3/8” bore fuel hose failures – Mandatory (CAA AD 2008-0001 issued)
  12. 10/02/12 – Internal leak female ACME (Rego-type) hose fitting – 10/05/12 updated to issue 2 – Mandatory (EASA AD 2012 0142 issued 03/08/12)

Ultramagic

Information from the Ultramagic Website www.ultramagic.com. Simple to use site so great for me. Click on Manuals & Technical Support and it all appears in the middle. Scroll down and you find everything you need all downloadable as a pdf file. Includes Service instructions as well.

Manuals, supplements, updates available

Currently there are eight Service Bulletins active

SB 01/99 01/99 – Fisher liquid valve connector (cylinder) – Recommended
SB 01/03 01/03 – Inspection of load tape loops for flying wires – Recommended
SB 01/10 01/10 – Inspection of lower frame of portioned baskets – Mandatory
SB 01/11 07/11 – Inspection of burner frame after road transportation – Mandatory
SB 01/2013 – Inspection of burner frame centre tube quad and triple – Mandatory

SB 01/15 – Fuel cylinder ID plate attachment – Recommended

SB 01/17-2 12/12/2017 – Vincke Liquid Hoses replacement 03/2014 to 04/2016 – Mandatory by UM (Mandatory after 11/03/2018).
SB 02/17 19/09/2017 – Tekno basket use of external fittings – Mandatory by UM (Highly Recommended).

Lindstrand Technologies Limited

See website for details. www.lindstrandtech.com/technical/service-bulletins-instructions/
Note that SBs include the tethered ride systems. Service Instructions also in the same area.

LTL SB001 25/01/2011 – Refers to shackle pin on tethered ride balloons.

Schroeder Fire Ballons

In progress..

Last SB/Technical note

EASA BA.016-67 30/06/2021 Grab test specification update.


British Balloon and Airship Club

Information through the members area of the Website

Go to www.bbac.org

Click on ‘members area’ (bottom left of list)
Click on ‘access here’
Click on ‘Technical Information’

Inspector Infos, CAA ADs and Pilots circular all available
Pilots Circular provides Technical Updates for AOC holders (also applicable to private) and can be used as information source once signed for.

Two BBAC ADs current.

BBAC AD1 30/06/03 – Customcraft balloons/Andre van Wyk repairs – Mandatory
BBAC AD1 Iss 2 10/03/04 – Basket repairs by Customcraft Balloons/Andre van Wyk – Mandatory


SUMMARY OF SOURCES

BBAC Pilots Circular – published on line www.bbac.org or by post via BBAC Membership Secretary.

BBAC Technical Office – CTO Lindsay Muir cto@bbac.co.uk. Access to the site requires membership.
EASA Bi-weeklies http://ad.easa.europa.eu/biweekly
EASA Website http://www.easa.eu
EASA AD list http://ad.easa.europa.eu/
CAA Website www.caa.co.uk
CAA CAP 747 http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=90&appid=11&mode=detail&id=1331
CAA CAP 476 – http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP476SEPTEMBER04.PDF
Cameron/Lindstrand Balloons www.cameronballoons.co.uk
Head Balloons www.headballoons.com or info@headballoons.com
Kubicek Balloons www.kubicekballoons.cz
Ultramagic www.ultramagic.com

Schroeder support <schroederballon.de/en/technical-support/

Manufacturers offer update services for all the manuals, service bulletins and amendments by arrangement. A fee may be charged