Eurocopter AS 350/355/EC130 - Astar/Twinstar/Ecureuil
Flight Crew Commercial
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Company Policy; Human Factors; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part
September 2013; I arrived at the ZZZ Base to ferry an AS350 helicopter to ZZZ1; a new Base that was opening. Upon starting my pre-flight; I noticed that the RED sock was placed on the cyclic. I called our Base Mechanic to inquire as to the status of the aircraft. The Mechanic stated that he forgot to take the red sock off of the cyclic when he had pulled the aircraft from the hangar earlier that morning; the Mechanic was located at the sister Base in ZZZ2 and was unable to return to ZZZ to remove the red sock. However; he gave me verbal permission to remove the red sock so I could ferry the aircraft. I then called my Airworthiness Manager; Mr. X; to inquire about this verbal permission. Mr. X and I discussed the status of the helicopter; and after advising him that I had checked the logbook and the DDL (Delayed Discrepancy List) and found no write-ups that would indicate that the red sock should be on the cyclic he advised me that it would be OK to remove the red sock so I could ferry the aircraft. I then continued my pre-flight inspection and found that the portable fire extinguisher had expired by two days. A different Mechanic was called in to inspect the fire extinguisher; after this he also removed the red sock. The aircraft was then ferried to ZZZ1. Upon landing I was met at the aircraft by the roving Mechanic who asked if a Night Vision Goggle (NVG) filter had been added to the aircraft before it left ZZZ. I advised him that I was unaware of a NVG filter that was supposed to be put on the aircraft and that I had not been advised by the Mechanic as such. Apparently the Base Mechanic at ZZZ had forgotten why the red sock was still on the aircraft; or never deferred the NVG filter to the DDL. The aircraft was not supposed to be flown BEFORE the NVG filter had been installed. Upon arrival at ZZZ1 and after the NVG filter was discovered as not being installed or written up on a DDL; it was done so by the Mechanic along with Mr. Y and the aircraft was returned to service.  Maintenance needs to provide information as to why a red sock is located on the cyclic and also log the discrepancy in the logbook and MEL the item.
September 2013; I was asked to take a Garmin-430 out of an AS350 Eurocopter for programming. After removing the Garmin-430 I and the pilot doing the programming noticed that this Garmin-430 did not have the Night Vision Filter on it; we then had another Mechanic verify that it did not have the filter. I was asked to order the filter as Aircraft On Ground (AOG). So I looked up the Part Number (P/N) using the flight deck's STC folder on that make of aircraft. Found the P/N and ordered the filter AOG. It was a very busy day at ZZZ. I had two aircraft to care for as well as assisting with the installation of the medical interior on an EC130 Eurocopter; as well as helping with the loading of the equipment for the new ZZZ1 Base. There were a lot of people here helping with everything. I made the Maintenance Release (MR) and sent it to my Lead; (Lead X); for approval and called him to confirm what I had done. After all that I moved on to another task.I did not think to MEL the AS350 aircraft due to it not leaving my hangar before the part would arrive. This aircraft was not even in service due to the new ZZZ1 Base not being set up yet; and the aircraft was not inspected for the medical interior yet. I was asked late that afternoon by Lead Mechanic X; to go to ZZZ2 three days later; to help out and be there that early morning. The AS350 Eurocopter was going to leave for ZZZ1 on that day; approximately midday. I was planning on being there to see the aircraft off; but I was at another location that day. So when the pilot came in and during his preflight; he noticed that the red sock was still on the cyclic. He called me right away. I assured him that I forgot to take it off when I put the Garmin 430 back in and that everything was signed-off and all good. So the pilot took the aircraft to ZZZ1. When he got there someone had mentioned if the Night Vision Filter was installed. The pilot did not know about it being missing. I was contacted by Mr. Y about why the Night Vision Filter was not on an MEL. I proceeded to explain everything to him and after talking to him about it and about everything that went on; I realized I should have MEL'd the filter right away. We talked about the importance of what had transpired and I was at fault for not MEL'ing the part.[What] I have taken out of this issue is simple: if any doubt; question; or just don't know; I need to write a discrepancy and THEN look into solving the issue. Not to make excuses but this is my first job taking care of my own aircraft; so I have much to learn. I believe we all learn from our mistakes and do everything in our power as humans not to repeat them in the future. Avionics. Interruption. Training.
A pilot and an Avionics Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) describe their involvement with an AS350 Eurocopter that was flown with a missing Night Vision Filter for their onboard Garmin 430 unit.