Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, were introduced to ensure the safety and airworthiness of civil aviation within Australia. Part 39 - 105 of these regulations outlines the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Schedule of Airworthiness Directives. One such directive, AD/A320/151, was issued on 27 November 2003, addressing an identified safety concern with Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. The directive mandates a specific inspection of the keel beam side panels on all Model A320 and A319 aircraft, excluding those with Modification No. 30355 incorporated in production, to rectify structural fatigue issues identified during certification tests. This Airworthiness Directive aims to mitigate the risk of unsafe conditions by requiring compliance with the inspection requirements outlined in DGAC AD 2003-146(B), ensuring the continued safety and reliability of these aircraft in operation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, under Part 39, specifically address the safety of aeronautical products, including aircraft, through various Airworthiness Directives (AD). These directives apply to the maintenance and safety standards of aircraft, with a particular focus on ensuring that any identified safety issues are rectified. For instance, AD/A320/151 pertains to the Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes, mandating inspections on the keel beam side panels to address structural integrity concerns. This AD applies to all relevant aircraft models except those that have already incorporated certain production modifications. The directive requires inspections to be carried out in accordance with specific instructions issued by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and mandates compliance within a stipulated timeframe. The directive's applicability and requirements are subject to specific conditions, such as the number of flights or flight hours, which may be adjusted in subsequent communications. This regulatory framework ensures that all affected aircraft maintain the required safety standards to operate within Australian airspace, underscoring the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's commitment to aviation safety.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR), specifically PART 39 - 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. The AD, numbered AD/A320/151, pertains to keel beam side panels and requires inspections to address structural issues identified during certification tests (section 1). This directive applies to all Model A320 and A319 aircraft, except those with Modification No. 30355 incorporated in production (section 2). The requirement outlined in the AD is to conduct inspections in accordance with the DGAC AD 2003-146(B), with a correction to the compliance threshold, changing the requirement from 3,500 flight hours to 3,500 flights (section 3). The AD mandates that inspections must be carried out as specified in the requirement document, with an effective date of 27 November 2003. This directive becomes effective on the same date (section 4). The background section explains that the directive was issued following the discovery of cracks on the keel beam side panels during certification structural fatigue tests, specifically around the rivets below the centre wing box between FR40 and FR42, and in part of the upper elliptical cut-out forward of FR41 (section 5). This AD is issued by a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and was notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 5 November 2003. The obligations imposed by this AD are primarily on the operators of the affected aircraft. They must ensure that the required inspections are conducted in accordance with the specified document, DGAC AD 2003-146(B), and the corrected compliance threshold. This involves a detailed inspection process to identify and rectify any structural issues that may affect the safety of the aircraft. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in significant safety risks and potential legal consequences. There are no explicit penalties or consequences mentioned within the AD itself, but non-compliance with ADs generally can lead to enforcement actions by CASA. Such actions might include grounding the aircraft until compliance is achieved, fines, or other regulatory actions. The severity of the consequences can depend on the nature and extent of the non-compliance, as well as any resulting safety risks or incidents. Therefore, it is imperative for operators to adhere to the AD's requirements to avoid potential enforcement actions and ensure the continued airworthiness of their aircraft.