AD/A320/17 Amdt 2 - Auxiliary Power Unit

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, established by the Parliament of Australia, serve to regulate and maintain safety standards within the civil aviation sector. Among these regulations, Part 39 specifically addresses airworthiness directives, which are binding requirements to rectify or mitigate safety issues within certain aircraft models. One such directive, AD/A320/17 Amendment 2, pertains to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. This directive was enacted to address a safety issue identified with the Garrett Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) GTCP 36-300 (A) P/N 3800278-2 in specific A320 series aircraft, excluding certain serial numbers and those modified in accordance with a particular service bulletin. The policy objective is to ensure the safety and reliability of the APU by implementing a secondary containment shield following an incident of turbine rotor separation during a development bench test. Compliance with this directive was mandated by 2 April 1995 to prevent potential safety hazards associated with the APU malfunction.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39 - 105, concerns the regulatory framework for ensuring airworthiness of aircraft within Australia. This particular regulation applies to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes and mandates compliance with Airworthiness Directive AD/A320/17 Amendment 2, which pertains to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The directive is designed to address safety issues by requiring the installation of a secondary containment shield following a turbine rotor separation incident that occurred during a development bench test. The directive is applicable to A320 series 100 and 200 aircraft equipped with a Garrett APU GTCP 36-300 (A) P/N 3800278-2, excluding specific serial numbers and those APUs that have already been modified in accordance with Garrett Service Bulletin GTCP36-49-6525. Compliance with these regulations is mandatory and must be achieved by 2 April 1995. The regulation's jurisdictional reach is national, governed under the Commonwealth of Australia, ensuring uniform safety standards across the country.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, section 105, include an Airworthiness Directive (AD) related to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. The directive AD/A320/17 Amendment 2 pertains to the Garrett Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) GTCP 36-300 (A) P/N 3800278-2. This directive applies to A320 series 100 and 200 aircraft equipped with the specified APU but excludes those with certain serial numbers and those that have already been modified in accordance with Garrett Service Bulletin GTCP36-49-6525 (section 9/93). The directive mandates compliance with Garrett Service Bulletin GTCP36-49-6549, which addresses a turbine rotor separation issue that occurred during a Garrett APU development bench test. The compliance date for this directive was set as 2 April 1995. Operators and owners of the specified A320 series aircraft must ensure that their aircraft meet the requirements set forth in the AD. This includes performing the actions detailed in the Garrett Service Bulletin GTCP36-49-6549, which likely involves installing a secondary containment shield or making other modifications to the APU to mitigate the risk of a turbine rotor separation. The directive aims to enhance the safety of these aircraft by addressing a specific technical issue that could potentially lead to a catastrophic failure during flight. Failure to comply with the AD/A320/17 Amendment 2 could result in serious safety implications. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 enforce strict compliance with airworthiness directives to maintain the highest safety standards in civil aviation. Non-compliance with such directives can lead to severe consequences, including the grounding of the aircraft, which can significantly impact operational activities. Although the specific penalties are not detailed in the provided text, non-compliance with airworthiness directives generally results in civil or criminal penalties, which can include substantial fines and imprisonment for responsible individuals. It is essential for operators to adhere to these directives to avoid legal repercussions and to ensure the continued airworthiness of their aircraft.