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
AD/A320/20 Overwing Escape Slide 10/91
Applicability: Model A320 with serial numbers 002 through 162, 167 and 171 through 174. Requirement: Action in accordance with the Technical Requirements of DGAC AD 91-153-018(B).
Note: Airbus Industrie AOT 25-02 refers.
Compliance: As specified in the Requirement Document with a revised effective date of 3 October 1991 for Australian registered aircraft.
Background: This Directive requires an inspection in order to prevent any possible risk of overwing Emergency Escape Slide deployment failure. The effective date required by the DGAC is extended by two months.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 were enacted by the Parliament of Australia to regulate the safety of civil aviation within Australia. The regulations encompass various safety directives to ensure the integrity and safety of aircraft, including the Airworthiness Directives (AD) for specific aircraft models. The AD/A320/20 Overwing Escape Slide directive, which applies to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes, was introduced to address the risk of overwing emergency escape slide deployment failure. This directive mandates compliance with the technical requirements set by the French Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) AD 91-153-018(B). The policy objective is to mitigate safety risks by ensuring that Australian registered aircraft of the specified model and serial numbers undergo the necessary inspections and maintenance to prevent deployment failures of the overwing emergency escape slides. The directive extends the compliance deadline by two months, as specified in the requirement document.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, under Part 39 - 105, pertains specifically to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes, addressing the critical safety directive AD/A320/20 concerning the overwing escape slide. This directive applies to model A320 aeroplanes with serial numbers ranging from 002 through 162, 167, and 171 through 174, requiring compliance with the technical requirements outlined in DGAC AD 91-153-018(B). The directive mandates an inspection to mitigate the risk of overwing emergency escape slide deployment failure, with a compliance deadline set for Australian registered aircraft, revised to 3 October 1991, extending the original effective date by two months. This regulation is jurisdictional across the Commonwealth of Australia, overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, ensuring adherence to safety standards and regulatory compliance for the specified aircraft models.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, particularly under Part 39, establish specific directives for the airworthiness of certain aircraft models, including the Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes. One such directive, AD/A320/20, pertains to the overwing escape slide for the A320 model with serial numbers ranging from 002 through 162, 167, and 171 through 174. This directive mandates compliance with the Technical Requirements outlined in DGAC AD 91-153-018(B) and references Airbus Industrie AOT 25-02. The requirement is to perform an inspection to prevent any risk of overwing Emergency Escape Slide deployment failure, with an effective date of 3 October 1991 for Australian registered aircraft, which is two months later than the original date required by the DGAC.
The obligations under this directive necessitate that the operators of the specified Airbus A320 models perform an inspection as outlined in the requirement document. This inspection is critical to ensuring that the overwing Emergency Escape Slide operates correctly, thereby maintaining the safety of passengers and crew during an emergency evacuation. Compliance with this directive involves adhering strictly to the technical specifications and guidelines provided by the DGAC and Airbus Industrie. Operators must ensure that any identified issues are rectified promptly to maintain the airworthiness of the aircraft.
Breaching the obligations set out in this directive can lead to serious consequences. The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998 do not explicitly state penalties for non-compliance with this particular directive; however, general provisions within the Act allow for enforcement actions against non-compliance. Such actions could include the issuance of compliance orders, fines, or even grounding of the aircraft if it is deemed unsafe. The severity of the penalties depends on the nature and extent of the non-compliance and could result in significant financial and operational repercussions for the operators.
In summary, AD/A320/20 is a critical directive aimed at ensuring the safety of Airbus A320 aircraft by mandating regular inspections of the overwing Emergency Escape Slides. Compliance with this directive is essential for maintaining the airworthiness of the aircraft and preventing potential hazards during emergency situations. Failure to comply with the requirements may result in enforcement actions, including fines and potential grounding of the aircraft, thereby highlighting the importance of adhering to these safety directives.