Safety > Counterfeit or destroyed aircraft

Counterfeit or destroyed aircraft

American Eurocopter works with customers and operators to ensure they use only genuine helicopters and parts, and are not misled into buying or operating aircraft or parts which were destroyed and then rebuilt by others without involvement of the company or its Eurocopter parent. Such aircraft, sometimes “rebuilt” around their identification data plate, are counterfeit and are not considered Eurocopter products – as there is no assurance that they will have the same quality and safety of genuine Eurocopter aircraft.

Following the investigation of an accident by the appropriate investigative authority, if an aircraft’s damage is identified as being minor or substantial, it may be repaired by authorized facilities using the necessary approved manuals and procedures along with the specified parts, tools and jigs. However, if the aircraft is officially determined to have been destroyed, it cannot be rebuilt except by the manufacturer under rules established in approved documentation of the airworthiness authorities.

To protect against the potential sale or operation of such counterfeit aircraft, American Eurocopter recommends that anyone considering the purchase – or the rebuilding of – any destroyed aircraft checks Eurocopter’s List of Potentially Destroyed Aircraft. This is a list of potentially destroyed Eurocopter aircraft for which a governmental agency or other organization has indicated the aircraft has been destroyed, but for which a final official accident report has yet to be issued. The list should be consulted by anyone considering purchasing any accident-damaged aircraft or components. American Eurocopter’s Fleet Safety Department also can be contacted to run a serial number check for the worldwide accident history.

Eurocopter requests that certification authorities remove the aircraft’s serial number from the Type Certificate Data Sheet for each aircraft that has been officially determined to have been destroyed and has its data plate destroyed. Eurocopter will not knowingly support such destroyed aircraft.

Moreover, American Eurocopter reminds everyone that for obvious safety reasons, it is prohibited to reuse parts or assemblies which have been involved in an accident without formal technical approval from the Eurocopter Technical Support Directorate.

• Review our Safety Information Notice (.pdf format)
• See Eurocopter’s List of Potentially Destroyed Aircraft (.pdf format)
• Contact American Eurocopter’s Fleet Safety Department to run a serial number check

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