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/A320/51 Main Landing Gear Rear Pintle Pin 5/95
Applicability: A320 S/N 002 to 008, 010 to 014 and 016 to 021.
Requirement: Replace the rear pintle pin in the main landing gear in accordance with Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-32-1024.
Note: DGAC AD 94-240-061(B) refers.
Compliance: Before 20000 landings or during the next main landing gear overhaul, whichever occurs first.
Background: Three cracked pins have been found on the fatigue specimen. To improve the fatigue performance, A320-100 pins are replaced by A320-200 pins on aircraft in service.
Overview
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, form a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of civil aviation operations. Part 39 of these regulations, particularly Schedule 105, addresses the Airworthiness Directives pertinent to specific aircraft models. The directive AD/A320/51 pertains to Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes, aiming to address safety concerns identified in the main landing gear rear pintle pin. The directive was introduced to mitigate risks associated with potential structural failures of the rear pintle pin in the main landing gear, ensuring continued airworthiness and safety of the specified aircraft. The compliance requirement mandates that the rear pintle pin be replaced in accordance with Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-32-1024, with specific attention to aircraft serial numbers 002 to 008, 010 to 014, and 016 to 021, either before reaching 20,000 landings or during the next main landing gear overhaul, whichever comes first. This directive reflects the overarching policy objective of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to maintain and enhance the safety standards of civil aviation operations in Australia.
Scope and Application
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued an airworthiness directive under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically targeting certain Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes to ensure ongoing safety and compliance with set standards. This directive applies to aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 002 to 008, 010 to 014, and 016 to 021. The requirement mandates the replacement of the rear pintle pin in the main landing gear in accordance with Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-32-1024. This directive is aligned with the French civil aviation authority's directive (DGAC AD 94-240-061(B)) and is motivated by instances where cracked pins were identified during fatigue testing. The directive stipulates that the replacement of the rear pintle pin must be completed before the aircraft reaches 20,000 landings or during the next main landing gear overhaul, whichever comes first. This regulatory measure aims to enhance the aircraft's structural integrity and safety by upgrading to a more fatigue-resistant pin design.
Key Provisions
The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, includes a schedule of airworthiness directives aimed at ensuring the safety and airworthiness of various aircraft. One such directive, AD/A320/51, pertains to the Airbus Industrie A319, A320 and A321 series aeroplanes, focusing on the main landing gear rear pintle pin (section 1). This directive applies to Airbus A320 aircraft with serial numbers ranging from 002 to 008, 010 to 014, and 016 to 021 (section 2). The requirement is to replace the rear pintle pin in the main landing gear, following the guidelines set out in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-32-1024 (section 3). This directive references DGAC AD 94-240-061(B) for additional context (section 4). Compliance with this directive must be achieved either before the aircraft reaches 20,000 landings or during the next main landing gear overhaul, whichever comes first (section 5).
The obligations imposed by this directive on the operators and maintenance providers of the specified Airbus aircraft are clear. They must ensure that the rear pintle pin in the main landing gear is replaced as per the requirements of Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-32-1024. This involves a thorough inspection and replacement process to maintain the structural integrity and safety of the landing gear. Operators and maintenance providers must keep detailed records of the inspections and any replacements carried out, ensuring that all work is carried out in accordance with the specified bulletin and regulatory requirements (section 6).
Failure to comply with the airworthiness directive can result in significant consequences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has the authority to enforce compliance and take action against operators and maintenance providers who fail to adhere to the directive. Potential penalties for non-compliance can include fines, grounding of the affected aircraft, and potentially more severe sanctions if non-compliance is found to have contributed to an aviation incident or accident. The specific penalties are not detailed in the legislative instrument, but the seriousness of the directive indicates that CASA will take a firm stance against non-compliance (section 7).