Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, were established to provide a comprehensive regulatory framework for civil aviation safety and operations in Australia. A specific aim of this legislation is to ensure that aircraft and aeronautical products meet necessary safety standards. One aspect of this is the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address identified safety issues. For instance, AD/A320/113 was introduced in response to a reported incident involving a malfunctioning cockpit sliding window on Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aircraft. This AD mandates that specific corrective actions be taken to prevent a potential emergency evacuation issue due to a missing lock pin in the sliding window mechanism. The directive applies to certain model aircraft and requires compliance by a specified date, ensuring that the identified unsafe condition is rectified to maintain airworthiness standards.

Scope and Application

This Airworthiness Directive, issued under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, applies specifically to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes with certain manufacturer serial numbers. The directive mandates corrective actions to address a safety issue concerning the cockpit sliding window lower mechanism. The specified aircraft must undergo a visual inspection to ensure the presence of lock pins, following the guidelines set out in DGAC AD 2000-518-157(B), with reference to Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-56-1007. This requirement must be met before 23 March 2002, ensuring that the unsafe condition identified, which could prevent emergency evacuation, is rectified. The directive applies within the Commonwealth of Australia, enforced by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and became effective on 22 February 2001. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within the directive itself, although compliance may be extended or modified through subordinate instruments as necessary.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39, specifically Section 105, sets out Airworthiness Directives for various aircraft models. In this instance, AD/A320/113 pertains to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. The directive is issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. This Airworthiness Directive requires specific action to address an unsafe condition identified in the cockpit sliding window lower mechanism of certain A319, A320, and A321 aircraft. The directive applies to aircraft with specific serial numbers, as listed in the applicability section. The obligations imposed by this directive are straightforward but crucial for ensuring safety. Aircraft operators and maintenance personnel must inspect the forward and aft lower bogie of the cockpit sliding window to verify the presence of lock pins. This inspection is mandated before a specified date, which in this case is 23 March 2002. The directive also requires compliance with the instructions provided by DGAC AD 2000-518-157(B) and Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-56-1007. These instructions are essential for correctly performing the required actions and ensuring the safety of the aircraft. The consequences of non-compliance with this Airworthiness Directive can be severe. While the regulations do not specify a particular offence, failure to adhere to the requirements of the directive could result in civil or criminal penalties under the broader provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and Civil Aviation Regulations 1998. These penalties could include fines, imprisonment, or other sanctions, depending on the severity and circumstances of the breach. Ensuring compliance is therefore not just a matter of operational necessity but also of legal obligation to avoid potential legal repercussions.