AD/A320/72 - Frame 56 Connecting Angle

Overview

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, enacted by the Commonwealth of Australia, establish and enforce safety standards for civil aviation operations within the country. This legislation addresses the need to ensure that all civil aviation activities are conducted safely and without undue risk to public safety. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority, as part of its regulatory framework, issues Airworthiness Directives to address specific safety concerns, as seen in the case of Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 Series Aeroplanes. The policy objective is to ensure the ongoing airworthiness of aircraft by mandating regular inspections and maintenance actions, thereby maintaining high safety standards in civil aviation. The specific Airworthiness Directive AD/A320/72 was introduced in response to the discovery of cracking in the connecting angle between frame 56 and the frame support at stringer 38 during fatigue testing, necessitating a rigorous inspection regime to ensure the safety of the aircraft in operation.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, as amended, apply to all Airbus A320 aircraft that have not incorporated Airbus Industrie Modification 20941 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1011, thereby establishing the scope of the legislation. This Act is an instrument of the Commonwealth of Australia and is overseen by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. It mandates that the connecting angle between frame 56 and the frame support at stringer 38 must be inspected in accordance with Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1084 Revision 1, with specific requirements for inspection intervals based on whether any cracks are detected. The regulation references French DGAC AD 96-237-090(B), indicating an international alignment in aviation safety standards. Compliance with this Airworthiness Directive is mandatory and becomes effective from 30 January 1997, with the inspection regime tightening if cracks are detected during the initial inspection.

Key Provisions

The Civil Aviation Regulations 1998, specifically Part 39, Section 105, includes an Airworthiness Directive (AD) for Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 series aeroplanes, identified as AD/A320/72. This directive focuses on the inspection of the connecting angle between frame 56 and the frame support at stringer 38 on Airbus A320 models that have not incorporated Airbus Industrie Modification 20941 or Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1011. The primary requirement (Section 39.105) is that this inspection must be conducted in accordance with Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1084 Revision 1. Entities governed by this directive must ensure that the connecting angle is inspected before the aircraft reaches 20,000 flights. If no cracks are detected during this inspection, subsequent inspections must be carried out at intervals not exceeding 12,000 flights. However, if cracks are found during an inspection, the reinspection intervals must follow the guidelines specified in Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1084 Revision 1. Airbus Industrie Service Bulletin A320-53-1011 is noted as the terminating action for this directive. Breaching the requirements set out in this Airworthiness Directive can result in serious consequences. Section 39.105 details the potential penalties and consequences, which can include both civil and criminal liabilities. Non-compliance with the inspection requirements may lead to the grounding of the aircraft until the issue is resolved, which could result in significant operational disruptions and financial losses for the airline. Additionally, failure to comply with these regulations could lead to legal action, including fines and other penalties as stipulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The exact penalties are determined by the severity of the breach and are subject to the discretion of the regulatory body overseeing the enforcement of these regulations.