Special Conditions: Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated S-64E and S-64F Rotorcraft

These special conditions are issued for the Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated (Erickson Air-Crane) model S-64E and S-64F rotorcraft. These rotorcraft have novel or unusual design features associated with being transport category rotorcraft designed only for use in heavy external-load operations. At the time of original type certification, a special condition was issued for each model helicopter because the applicable airworthiness regulations did not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for turbine-engine rotorcraft or for rotorcraft with a maximum gross weight over 20,000 pounds that were designed solely to perform external load-operations. At the request of Erickson Air-Crane, the current type certificate (TC) holder for these helicopter models, the following will resolve reported difficulty in applying the existing special conditions and eliminate any confusion that has occurred in Erickson's dealings with a foreign authority. Specifically, we are consolidating the separate special conditions for each model helicopter into one special condition to clarify and more specifically reference certain special condition requirements to the regulatory requirements, to add an inadvertently omitted fire protection requirement, to recognize that occupants may be permitted in the two observer seats and the rear-facing operator seat during other than external-load operations, and to clarify the requirements relating to operations within 5 minutes of a suitable landing area. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.