AD/Para/12 Amdt 1 Parachutes de France Emergency Parachutes (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/PARA/12 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Parachute Equipment

AD/PARA/12 Amdt 1 Parachutes de France - Emergency Parachutes 4/2008

Applicability:

Parachutes de France (PdF) emergency parachutes manufactured between 1 January 1987 and 28 February 1989, with serial numbers 87 01 001 through 89 02 xxx.

Requirement:

Inspect steering lines trailing edge attachment tapes of affected emergency parachutes in accordance with PdF Service Bulletin No. 2/2003, dated 19 December 2003.

Immediately remove the parachute from service if inspection reveals double sewing without back-stitching over attachment tape, as described in Figure A of the Requirement document, or evidence of any kind of failure initiation on any part of the steering attachment on and around the tape.

Note:  DGAC AD F-2007-025 refers.

Compliance:

Before further use after 11 February 2004.

The compliance time remains unchanged by this issue of the Directive.

This Amendment becomes effective on 10 April 2008.

Background:

An accident occurred when a Minimax 5 emergency parachute opened.  Initial analysis of an investigation has revealed that a specific stitching type could have contributed to secondary steering line edge attachment tape failure.  Failure of attachment tapes may lead to canopy control difficulties.

Amendment 1 is issued in response to DGAC AD F-2007-025 which replaces AD
F-2004-015; previously approved by EASA.  Reserve canopies are no longer EASA responsibility and the new DGAC AD is approved by the DGAC.  There is no change to the current technical requirements of this Directive.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

25 February 2008