COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Agusta A119 Series Helicopters
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A119/1 Amdt 1 and issues the following AD under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CAR 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.
AD/A119/1
Amdt 2
Tail Rotor Blades 13/2001 DM
Applicability: All A119 helicopters with tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-107 installed.
Requirement: 1. Inspect in accordance with Parts I, II and III of Agusta Alert Service Bulletin No. 119-1 Revision A, dated 22 August 2001, until Requirement 3 is accomplished.
2. Retire tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-107 from service in accordance with Part IV of Agusta Alert Service Bulletin No. 119-1 Revision A, dated 22 August 2001, until compliance with Requirement 3.
3. Replace tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-107 with tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-111 in accordance with Agusta Alert Service Bulletin No. 119-2, dated 20 September 2001.
Note 1: Tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-111 have a retirement life of 1,000 flight hours.
Note 2: Italian ENAC AD 2001-426 refers.
Compliance: 1. For Part I: Before each flight and at each airworthiness check.
For Part II: Within 10 flight hours after 11 April 2001, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 10 flight hours; and at each abnormal increase in vibration level.
For Part III: Within 25 flight hours after 11 April 2001, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 25 flight hours.
2. Upon accumulating 50 flight hours.
3. Before 31 December 2001, unless already accomplished.
The compliance times of the previous issue of this Directive remain unchanged for Requirements 1 and 2.
This Directive shall be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required. The visual inspection required by Part I of the Requirement Document may be performed by the Pilot in Command. In which case, a copy of the Requirement Document and this Directive is to be carried in the aircraft.
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
This amendment becomes effective on 21 November 2001.
Background: The Italian ENAC requires inspections for possible cracks on the upper and lower sides of certain tail rotor blades.
Amendment 1 was issued following discovery of a cracked TRB on an Australian Aircraft, prompting ENAC to introduce a 50 hour life on the -107 blade.
Amendment 2 is issued in response to a new ENAC AD which introduces new improved replacement tail rotor blades.
Amendment 1 of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 7 September 2001. The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 11 April 2001.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 14 November 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 21 November 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, section 105, outline the Airworthiness Directives issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). This legislation was enacted to ensure the safety and airworthiness of civil aircraft in Australia. It provides a regulatory framework that mandates certain safety measures and compliance requirements to address identified safety issues in aircraft operations. The problem this legislation aims to address is the need to maintain high safety standards in civil aviation, ensuring that all aircraft meet stringent airworthiness criteria to prevent accidents and enhance safety. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted by the Australian Parliament, with the policy objective of maintaining and enhancing the safety of civil aviation through rigorous regulatory oversight and enforcement. The directive in question, AD/A119/1 Amdt 2, was issued to address a specific safety concern with the tail rotor blades of Agusta A119 Series Helicopters, following the identification of potential cracks and the need for improved blade specifications.
Scope and Application
The Airworthiness Directive AD/A119/1 Amdt 2 issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 applies specifically to all Agusta A119 Series helicopters that have tail rotor blades with the part number 109-8132-01-107 installed. This legislation, administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), mandates actions to ensure the safety of these helicopters in Australian airspace. The directive requires inspections, the retirement of specific tail rotor blades, and their replacement with a new part number. These requirements must be followed by the operators of the affected helicopters, ensuring adherence to the safety standards set forth by CASA. The directive specifies particular intervals for inspections and replacement, ensuring that the safety measures are implemented at appropriate stages of the helicopter's operational life. This Airworthiness Directive is applicable nationwide and is enforced to maintain the highest safety standards for aviation within Australia.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, outline specific requirements for the airworthiness of Agusta A119 Series Helicopters. The main operative sections of the Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/A119/1 Amdt 2 pertain to the inspection, retirement, and replacement of certain tail rotor blades. Specifically, all A119 helicopters with tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-107 installed must undergo inspections and necessary blade replacements (Section 1). The inspections must be performed in accordance with Parts I, II, and III of Agusta Alert Service Bulletin No. 119-1 Revision A, dated 22 August 2001, until the replacement is completed (Section 1.1). Tail rotor blades part number 109-8132-01-107 must be retired from service, following Part IV of the same bulletin, until the replacement is carried out (Section 1.2). Finally, these blades must be replaced with part number 109-8132-01-111, as per Agusta Alert Service Bulletin No. 119-2, dated 20 September 2001 (Section 1.3).
The AD imposes several obligations on the parties it governs. Firstly, the inspection and retirement of the blades must occur under specific conditions. The visual inspection required by Part I of the Requirement Document may be performed by the Pilot in Command, but in such cases, a copy of the Requirement Document and the AD itself must be carried in the aircraft (Section 1.1). Secondly, the compliance schedule for these requirements is strict, with inspections and retirements to be carried out before each flight, within specified intervals after 11 April 2001, and at each abnormal increase in vibration level (Section 2). Thirdly, the replacement of the blades must be completed before 31 December 2001, unless already accomplished (Section 3). These directives must be entered on the Maintenance Release as maintenance required (Section Compliance).
There are significant consequences for non-compliance with this AD. While the regulations do not explicitly state criminal or civil penalties, failure to adhere to these airworthiness directives could result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, leading to potential grounding and severe operational disruptions. Additionally, not following these mandated inspections and replacements could compromise the safety of the aircraft, leading to potential accidents or incidents, which could result in severe penalties under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce compliance, which may include fines, suspension of operations, or other regulatory actions as deemed necessary to ensure safety.