COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998), PART 39 - 105 CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY
SCHEDULE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
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 CASR 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.
Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes
AD/A320/161 Fuel System - Air Release Valve (ARV) 10/2004
Applicability: AIRBUS A319, A320 and A321 aircraft that are equipped with Air Release Valve (ARV) FR-HITEMP Part Number (PN) 9813365, 9813395 or 9813445.
Aircraft on which no replacement of the ARV has been performed since embodiment of AIRBUS modification 26102 in production or AIRBUS Service Bulletin (SB) A320-28-1123 in service are not affected by the requirements of this Directive.
Note 1: FR-HITEMP was previously known as “FLIGHT REFUELLING”.
Requirement: Modify the ARV PN 9813365, 9813395 or 9813445 in accordance with the instructions given in AIRBUS SB A320-28-1123 or later revisions approved by the French DGAC.
Note 2: For modification of the ARV PN 9813365, compliance with SB A320-28- 1002 is required.
Note 3: DGAC AD F-2004-120 (EASA approval No 2004-7519) refers.
Compliance: Before 30 June 2007.
This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 30 September 2004.
Background: One operator has reported an engine shut down in fuel gravity mode. Analysis has shown that the float of the ARV PN 9813365, 9813395 or 9813445 absorbs fuel and will no longer float, and consequently will fail to function as required. In the case where the engines are in gravity mode, there could be enough air ingested through the ARV to allow the engine to shut down. This Directive mandates the requirement to replace the ARV with one that incorporates an improved type of float.
Gary J Carr
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority 19 August 2004
The above AD is notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 September 2004.
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Overview
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, is the regulatory framework that governs airworthiness directives within Australia. Enacted by the Australian Parliament, this legislation aims to ensure that all civil aircraft are maintained to a standard that ensures their safe operation. This particular Airworthiness Directive (AD) was issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to address a safety issue identified with certain Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 aircraft models. The problem identified was a potential engine shut down due to the failure of the Air Release Valve (ARV) float to function correctly. The policy objective behind this AD is to mitigate the risk of engine failure by mandating the modification of the ARV in the specified aircraft, ensuring that the aircraft continue to meet airworthiness standards and thereby enhancing flight safety.
Scope and Application
This Airworthiness Directive, issued under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, pertains specifically to Airbus A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes that are equipped with an Air Release Valve (ARV) with certain part numbers. The directive mandates modifications to the ARV to address an identified unsafe condition where the float of the ARV absorbs fuel and fails to function correctly, potentially leading to engine shut down. The directive applies to aircraft that have not yet undergone the replacement of the ARV since the embodiment of Airbus modification 26102 in production or Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320-28-1123 in service. The modification must be carried out in accordance with the instructions specified in SB A320-28-1123 or later revisions approved by the French DGAC. Compliance with this directive is mandatory before 30 June 2007, with the directive becoming effective from 30 September 2004. The directive is a Commonwealth regulation, applying nationally across Australia.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) include specific provisions for Airworthiness Directives (ADs) which are issued under subregulation 39.1 (1) of CASR. An Airworthiness Directive, such as AD/A320/161 for the Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 Series Aeroplanes, mandates specific actions to be taken to address identified unsafe conditions. For this particular AD, the focus is on modifying the Air Release Valve (ARV) in Airbus aircraft models A319, A320 and A321 that are equipped with certain part numbers (PN) of the ARV. This requirement excludes aircraft that have already undergone a specified replacement of the ARV or have had certain modifications applied.
The AD applies to specific Airbus aircraft models that have an ARV with certain part numbers: 9813365, 9813395 or 9813445. Aircraft that have already had the ARV replaced as per Airbus modification 26102 or have had Airbus Service Bulletin (SB) A320-28-1123 applied are not subject to the requirements of this directive. The directive requires the ARV to be modified in accordance with the instructions provided in SB A320-28-1123 or later revisions approved by the French DGAC. For the modification of ARV PN 9813365, compliance with SB A320-28-1002 is additionally required.
Operators and owners of affected aircraft must ensure that the required modifications to the ARV are performed by 30 June 2007. This AD became effective on 30 September 2004, as notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 8 September 2004. Failure to comply with this directive could result in the aircraft being deemed unairworthy, potentially leading to grounding and further enforcement actions. In the event of non-compliance, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may impose penalties, which can include fines and other civil or criminal consequences as prescribed by law. The exact penalties can vary, but they are designed to ensure that safety standards are upheld in the aviation industry.