FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H

NORMAL PROCEDURES

4.2.4 Mass and Balance

The takeoff and anticipated landing gross mass and balance should be obtained before
takeoff and checked against mass and load limits and center of gravity restrictions (see
Section 2).

4.3 PREFLIGHT CHECK

4.3.1 General
The preflight check shall be accomplished in accordance with the flight manual, the
maintenance manual or the pilot’s checklist.
The preflight check is not a detailed mechanical inspection, but essentially a visual check of
the helicopter for correct condition.
This check shall be completed before each flight. However, items not marked with an asterisk
(L) need only be checked before the first flight of the day or for aircraft on alert / on call status
these items should be performed within a 24 hours cycle.
When unusual local conditions dictate, the extent and/or frequency of this check shall be
increased as necessary to promote safe operation.

NOTE D The following list contains only check items for the standard configuration.

D In addition to these items, check antennas and all installed optional

equipment.

D Make certain that all relevant intermediate and special inspections in

accordance with the maintenance manual have been complied with.

D For optional equipment check items, refer to the respective flight manual
supplement or maintenance manual.

D When checking the “condition” of an item, the item shall be checked for
external damage and proper seating. When checking if an item is “secured”,
check if lockwire or other means of securing are properly installed.

4.3.2 Exterior Check

The exterior check is laid out as a walk-around check, starting forward right at the pilot’s door,
proceeding clockwise to the tail boom, to the left hand side (including the upper and lower
areas of the helicopter) and is completed at the helicopter nose area.

NOTE D If possible, the helicopter should be headed into the wind before starting the
engines.

D The area around the helicopter should be clear of all foreign objects.

D To avoid excessive drain on the helicopter battery, particularly during cold

weather, all ground operations should be conducted using an external power
unit (EPU). Prior to EPU connection make sure that battery is connected.

D When the battery is used, the operation of electrical equipment should be kept
to a minimum.

APPROVED
4–2 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ Rev. 10
 FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

4.3.2.1 Before Exterior Check

5 2
EC135_FLH_0490_R

1 Fuselage RH 4 Cabin roof

2 Rear structure 5 Nose area
3 Fuselage LH

Fig. 4-1 Exterior Check Sequence

L Helicopter and mission documents – Check, complete

L Weight, CG – Check

L Covers and tie-downs – Removed

L Ice and snow (if any) – Removed

L Ground handling wheels – Removed

Fuel tanks / drain valves (4) – Drained
L Fuselage underside / drain ports – Condition, no fuel / oil leaks

L Equipment and cargo – Secured

NOTE For required checks of the installed hand fire extinguisher(s) observe national
regulations and manufacturer‘s safety advise.

APPROVED
Rev. 10 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ 4–3
FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

4.3.2.2 Fuselage – RH Side

OAT sensors (2) – Condition, clear

Cockpit air intake – Clear

Cockpit door – Condition, function

Windshield, upper part – Condition

Cabin air intake – Clear

BAT MSTR sw – Check, OFF

Fabric glare shield (before night flights) – Check installed

Maintenance steps (3) – Check in
Strobe light (if installed) – Condition

Avionic bay cooling vent – Clear

Sliding door – Condition, function, open

If the optional “pre-catch device” is installed, the door must be in fully closed
position prior next opening. The pilot/crew has to instruct the passengers for safety
reasons.

Landing gear and step, settling protector – Condition

(if installed)

Auxiliary landing light (if installed) – Condition

Rear-view camera (if installed) – Condition
Drain ports (3) – Clear

Fuselage underside – Condition, no leakage

Antennas on underside (if any) – Condition

Cowling RH side – Condition

Antennas on roof (if any) – Condition

Oil cooler fan inlet screen – Clear

Oil cooler fan – Condition
Sliding door – Condition, function, closed

Transmission & Engine Compartments – RH Side

Transmission access door – Open

Transmission compartment – No leakage, no foreign objects

Oil cooler air inlet duct – Check clear

APPROVED
4–4 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ Rev. 11.2
 FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

Oil cooler − Condition

Oil cooler air outlet duct − Check clear
Hydraulic pressure supply system 2 − Condition

Fluid level indicator − Check fluid level

Sight glass − Check oil visible, air fills less
than half of sight glass

Transmission oil filter clogging indicator pin − Check in

Transmission oil level − Check

Generator intake − Clear

Air opening in access door − Clear

L Transmission access door − Closed, secured

L Engine access doors − Open
Engine compartment, wiring, linkages and − Condition, no leakage,
lines no foreign objects

L Engine II oil tank − Oil level

Engine air intake − Clear, no damage or
deformation

Engine drive shaft − Check free wheeling

Air openings (NACA & vent) in engine − Clear
cowling

L Engine access doors − Closed, secured

Fuselage − RH Side (continued)

L Maintenance step − Check in

L EPU access − Circuit breaker in, door closed if

EPU not connected

Battery − Condition, connected

Vent screens (2) on the top − Clear

L Battery compartment door − Closed and secured
L Static port(s) (2) − Clear

Fire extinguisher bottle pressure indicator − Check according to pressure-

(if installed) temperature table

NOTE Engine must be cold for pressure-temperature table to be valid.

APPROVED
Rev. 14 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ 4−5
FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

Engine exhaust pipe − Condition

Clam shell doors − Condition, function
First aid kit − On board, condition

Avionic rack − Secured

L Clam shell doors − Closed, secured

Hinges − Condition

4.3.2.3 Rear Area

L Tail boom − RH side − Condition

Antennas (if any) − Condition

Drain port − Clear

L RH horizontal stabilizer, position light − Condition

Tail bumper − Condition

Rear camera (if installed) − Condition

Fenestron structure − Condition

L Tail rotor blades − Condition, free play
Tail rotor − Check centered within fenestron
structure (constant blade tip
clearance); visual check

Slip marks on tail rotor fairing and hub − Check no dislocation

Ring frame between tail boom and Fenestron, RH − Condition, no cracks

Vertical fin tip, RH − Condition

Position and anti-collision light − Condition

Vertical fin tip, LH − Condition

Ring frame between tail boom and Fenestron, LH − Condition, no cracks
Stators − Condition

L Tail gearbox − Condition, no leakage, oil level

Oil filler cap − Condition, closed

Tail gearbox cover − Condition, no foreign objects,

camlocks closed

L LH horizontal stabilizer, position light − Condition

APPROVED
4−6 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ Rev. 14
 FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

L Tail boom − LH side − Condition

Antennas (if any) − Condition

4.3.2.4 Fuselage − LH Side

L Static port(s) (2) − Clear

Engine exhaust pipe − Condition

Avionic bay cooling vent − Clear

Strobe light (if installed) − Condition

Transmission & Engine Compartments − LH Side

L Engine access doors − Open

Engine compartment, wiring, linkages and − Condition, no leakage,
lines no foreign objects

L Engine I oil tank − Oil level

Engine air intake − Clear, no damage or
deformation

Engine drive shaft − Check free wheeling

Air openings (NACA & vent) in engine − Clear
cowling

L Engine access doors − Closed, secured

Transmission access door − Open

Transmission compartment − No leakage, no foreign objects

Rotor brake fluid reservoir (if installed) − Oil level, filler cap secured
Oil cooler air inlet duct − Check clear

Oil cooler − Condition

Oil cooler air outlet duct − Check clear
Hydraulic pressure supply system 1 − Condition

Fluid level indicator − Check fluid level

Sight glass − Check oil visible, air fills less
than half of sight glass

Swash plate sliding sleeve bushing (lower − Condition, no shift

part)

Generator intake − Clear

APPROVED
Rev. 14 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ 4−7
FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

Air opening in access door − Clear

L Transmission access door − Closed, secured

Main Rotor Area

Swash plate − Condition

Swash plate sliding sleeve bushing (upper part) − Condition, no shift

Driving links assembly − Condition
Rotor blades (4) − Condition, turn rotor and check
free run

PU Erosion-protective film (if fitted) − Condition, no separation

Blade underside in the area between drain − Condition, no cracks
holes and beginning of metallic erosion
protection

Trim tabs (8) − Condition

Static dischargers (4) − Condition

Rotating control rods (4) − Condition, free movement

L Blade attachment area of main rotor mast (upper − Condition, no cracks
and lower)

Blade attachment bolts (8) − Secured

Rotor hub cap − Condition

Blade dampers (8) − Condition

Control cuffs (4) − Condition

Control cuff drain holes − No foreign objects

Control cuff opening (as far as visible) − No foreign objects

Lower part of blade dampers − Feel for foreign objects, water or
snow inside

Fuselage − LH Side (continued)

Deck cowlings − Condition
Cowling LH side − Condition

Antennas on roof (if any) − Condition

Oil cooler fan inlet screen − Clear

Oil cooler fan − Condition

L Maintenance step − Closed

APPROVED
4−8 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ Rev. 14
 FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

Fuel filler cap − Closed, secured

L Fuel filler door − Closed, locked
Landing gear and step, settling protector − Condition
(if installed)

Auxiliary landing light (if installed) − Condition

Vents (2), drainports (2) − Clear

Antennas on underside (if any) − Condition

Fuselage underside − Condition, no leakage

Sliding door − Condition, function, closed

If the optional “pre-catch device” is installed, the door must be in fully closed
position prior next opening. The pilot/crew has to instruct the passengers for safety
reasons.

Windshield, upper part − Clean

Cockpit door − Condition, function
Copilot seat safety belts, if seat not occupied − Fastened, secured

4.3.2.5 Nose Area

Windshield, front and lower part − Condition, clean

L Pitot tube(s) (2, if copilot’s system installed) − Condition, no foreign objects

Windshield wiper (if installed) − Condition

Nose windows − Condition

L Pedal areas − No foreign objects

Landing lights − Condition

Search and landing light (if installed) − Condition
L Fuselage bottom − Condition

4.3.3 Interior Check

L Seats and pedals − Adjusted and locked

NOTE Adjust your seat properly to attain the reference eye position and arrange for
sufficient head clearance.

LH cyclic stick (if installed) − Secured, safety-wired

Dual control covers (if installed) − Condition / fixing

L Safety belt − Fastened

APPROVED
Rev. 14 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ 4−9
FLIGHT MANUAL EC135 T3H
NORMAL PROCEDURES

L Pilot/Copilot door − Check all latches properly

engaged by pushing the door(s)
outwards

If the optional “pre-catch device” is installed the door must be in fully closed position
prior next opening.

L Overhead panel

All circuit breakers − In

All switches − OFF or NORM, priority NORM
− Switch guards closed

Rotor brake lever (if rotor brake installed) − Released

Cockpit camera (if installed) − Check overall security

− Check access door closed

L Instrument panel
All switches − OFF or NORM, priority NORM

STATIC PRESSURE SELECTOR VALVE sw − STATIC TUBE

TRAINING pb − Off

L Center console

ELT sw − ARMED
Intercom sw (BACK-UP/NORM/SLAVED) − NORM

COM/NAV equipment − Check condition

CCP MFD COPILOT sw − NORM

L Collective lever, pilot and copilot side (if installed)

All switches − OFF, NORM, guarded if possible

Twist grips − NEUTRAL

Collective lever − Check locked

APPROVED
4 − 10 EFFECTIVITY Helionix Step 2+ Rev. 14