A HELI IN CRUISE AT 1000 FT DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT CAUSED BY A SEIZED AIR-CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR.

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AT APPROX XA05 MYSELF AND MY CREW NOTICED A SMELL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE AIR-CONDITIONING VENTS SO I TURNED OFF THE AIR-CONDITIONING; NOTIFIED DISPATCH THAT I WAS MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG TO A FIELD. AFTER LNDG I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND OPENED THE COWLING WHERE THE AIR-CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR WAS LOCATED. I DISCOVERED THE COMPRESSOR HAD SEIZED UP. I THEN CALLED MY DIRECTOR OF MAINT AND DIRECTOR OF OPS. THEY TOLD ME TO CUT THE BELT; DO A 15 MIN GND RUN; THEN RECHK EVERYTHING AND CALL THEM BACK. I DID WHAT WAS SAID AND CALLED BACK TO SAY EVERYTHING CHKED OUT. THEY THEN SAID TO FLY IT BACK TO ZZZ WITHOUT THE CREW SO I ASKED IF THAT WAS LEGAL WITHOUT A MECH LOOKING AT IT AND THEY SAID YES. I THEN REQUESTED THAT THEY CALL THE FSDO AND MAKE SURE AND I WOULD CALL BACK. 10 MINS LATER I CALLED BACK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL I HAD TO DO WAS WRITE IT UP ON THE MEL. SO I DID SO. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A FERRY PERMIT SO THAT IS WHY I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT.