COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes
AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE
For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (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/A320/118 Slide Raft Girt Bar 5/2001
Applicability: All Model A319, A320, & A321 aircraft; with Modification 20234 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-25-1055 incorporated, and without Modification 28212 in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 in-service.
Requirement: Replace the carbon-steel trigger spring of the slide/raft at each passenger door location in accordance with the instructions contained in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1.
Note 1: DGAC AD 2001-063(B) refers.
Note 2: Simultaneous accomplishment of Service Bulletin A320-52-1068 as mentioned in Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 is not mandated by DGAC AD 2001-063(B), or this Airworthiness Directive.
Compliance: Before 3 September 2002 or within 30 months from the Entry into Service of the aircraft, whichever occurs later.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 17 May 2001.
Background: During slide/raft deployment tests, the slide/raft girt detached from the door sill and the slide/raft was unable to deploy. The trigger spring which maintains the telescopic slide bar in the extended position was found broken due to severe corrosion, and the girt bar was incorrectly fixed to the door sill. As a consequence, passenger egress would be delayed in the event of an emergency evacuation.
David Alan Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 2 April 2001
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 18 April 2001.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Parliament of Australia, serve to regulate the safety and operational standards of civil aviation within the country. This legislation was introduced to address the need for comprehensive safety regulations to ensure the integrity and safety of aircraft operations. One particular aspect of these regulations is the issuance of Airworthiness Directives (ADs) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), aimed at correcting unsafe conditions identified in specific aircraft models. An example is AD/A320/118, issued on 2 April 2001, which mandates the replacement of the carbon-steel trigger spring of the slide/raft at each passenger door location in Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 aircraft with certain modifications to prevent the slide/raft from detaching during deployment and to ensure timely passenger egress in emergencies. The policy objective behind such directives is to maintain the highest safety standards in civil aviation, directly addressing potential hazards that could compromise the safety of passengers and crew.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive (AD) pertains specifically to all Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes that have incorporated Modification 20234 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-25-1055, but do not have Modification 28212 in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 in-service. The directive is issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 (CAR 1998) by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), and it mandates that the carbon-steel trigger spring of the slide/raft at each passenger door location must be replaced according to the instructions in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1. This action is necessary to address the identified unsafe condition that could lead to the slide/raft being unable to deploy during an emergency evacuation. The compliance requirement is to complete this replacement before 3 September 2002 or within 30 months from the Entry into Service of the aircraft, whichever is later. This AD becomes effective on 17 May 2001, and its notification was published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 18 April 2001.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39 - 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) specifically concerning the Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes (AD/A320/118). This AD pertains to the replacement of the carbon-steel trigger spring of the slide/raft at each passenger door location. The requirement is to follow the instructions in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1, ensuring that the aircraft involved have the specific modifications or service bulletins mentioned in the applicability section.
The obligations imposed by this AD are clear and specific. Operators of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft must ensure that the trigger spring replacement is carried out on aircraft that meet the criteria outlined in the applicability section. This includes having Modification 20234 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-25-1055 incorporated, and not having Modification 28212 in production or Service Bulletin A320-52-1102 Revision 1 in-service. The directive mandates that this action be completed either before 3 September 2002 or within 30 months from the aircraft's Entry into Service, whichever is later. This ensures that the safety measure is implemented in a timely manner to mitigate the risk of an unsafe condition during an emergency evacuation.
Failure to comply with this Airworthiness Directive can result in serious safety risks, including delayed passenger egress during an emergency evacuation. There are no explicit penalties or consequences outlined in the AD itself, but non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). These actions might include fines, operational restrictions, or other regulatory measures to ensure compliance and maintain airworthiness standards. The directive becomes effective on 17 May 2001, making it imperative for operators to adhere to the specified requirements and timelines.