Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, include specific Airworthiness Directives to ensure the safety of aircraft in Australian airspace. One such directive, AD/A320/134 issued on 21 March 2002, pertains to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes equipped with certain fixed lateral cockpit windows. This directive was enacted in response to a reported issue of outer glass ply separation in the cockpit windows, traced back to a manufacturing defect that allowed moisture ingress. The directive was issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to mandate corrective actions to address the unsafe condition and ensure compliance with safety standards. CASA delegates the authority to enforce this directive under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, with the overarching policy objective being the enhancement of aviation safety by mitigating identified risks associated with the specified aircraft components.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, apply to all aircraft operating within Australian airspace and cover a broad range of safety and operational requirements. Specifically, the Airworthiness Directive (AD) issued under Part 39, section 105, addresses the safety of aircraft and aeronautical products through mandatory safety measures. This particular AD applies to all Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes that are fitted with certain fixed lateral cockpit windows manufactured by PPG Aerospace before January 1995. The directive mandates corrective actions to address the identified unsafe condition of potential moisture ingress between the centre and outer glass ply, which could lead to outer glass ply separation. Compliance with the AD requires that specified actions be taken within 500 flight hours after 21 March 2002, and subsequently at intervals not exceeding 500 flight hours, until the windows are replaced. The AD is effective from 21 March 2002 and is applicable nationally across Australia, as it is issued under the authority of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Key Provisions

The main sections of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, Part 39, specifically focusing on the Airworthiness Directive for Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 Series Aeroplanes (AD/A320/134), are the applicability, requirement, and compliance sections. The applicability section (1) specifies that the AD applies to all A319, A320, and A321 aircraft equipped with PPG Aerospace fixed lateral cockpit windows part numbers NP-165313-1 or NP-165313-2, provided these parts have a serial number below 95001H0001, indicating a manufacturing date before January 1995. The requirement section (2) mandates two actions: first, the implementation of Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-56-1009, and second, that windows identified as suspect must be re-inspected and replaced if necessary, again in accordance with the same service bulletin. The compliance section (3) sets out that these actions must be completed within 500 flight hours following 21 March 2002, unless already performed, and must be repeated at intervals not exceeding 500 flight hours until the issue is fully resolved. The obligations and requirements imposed by this AD on the relevant parties include adhering to the specified maintenance and inspection protocols as detailed in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-56-1009. This involves identifying affected aircraft, conducting necessary inspections of the fixed lateral cockpit windows, and replacing any windows found to be defective. Operators must ensure that these actions are completed within the stipulated timeframes and repeated as necessary to maintain airworthiness standards. Additionally, operators must maintain records of compliance to demonstrate adherence to the AD. Failure to comply with the AD could lead to serious safety implications, potentially resulting in civil and criminal penalties. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the AD itself, under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, non-compliance with ADs can result in significant fines and potential criminal charges for operators. The severity of penalties can vary based on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, but the overarching intent is to ensure that all safety directives are strictly followed to prevent unsafe conditions from compromising flight safety.